Introduction The Taiwanese media is full of commentaries and analyses that have gradually made evident the existence of a young generation separated from their elders…

Introduction In 2020, the story of a 56-year-old woman who went on a solo road trip in China went viral online.[1] Escaping from an unhappy…

Introduction On a sizzling summer day in 2019, I arrived at a Guangzhou city park for an appointment with Mama Wu.[1] “Come meet me around…

First encounters In January 2016, Mr Zhou tagged me in a WeChat group. I had met the 67-year-old two years before, during my fieldwork among…

Without yellow leaves, there can be no autumn. Ruins are the yellow leaves of a building. People say that the purpose of yellow leaves is…

Introduction An abandoned coal town: Kouquan Located on Datong’s outskirts, Kouquan Town used to be an important coal centre, surrounded by mines and miners’ settlements….

Introduction This article is a reflection on urban ruins, fieldwork, and photography. In line with this special issue, its purpose is to explore how these…

Introduction – Following Chinese children far from urban centres: The trail of ruins There exist many areas in China today characterised by their decaying buildings,…

Beyond the exceptional lens: Ruination and the shaping of ordinary spaces in China Urban ruins constitute ubiquitous spaces in contemporary China: from neighbourhoods and areas…

Introduction China has been very active in the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH hereafter) since the ratification of UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of…