What is China to me? Born and raised in Malaysia until I was transplanted here to further my education, China was this large, nebulous landmass from which my grandparents emigrated. It was a place where money was sent; the harsh reality that necessitated this action did not intrude upon my childhood consciousness. Many decades have passed but this enigma of a country continues to exert a strong hold on me. I finally decided that the only way to assuage this sense of longing was to travel there -  to the land of my ancestors. There have been many forays to China since.

“Still China” is about places, both iconic and less well known, captured in their moments of stillness. The time of day and the lighting invest them with a sense of quietude. The famous Huang Shan, with its diaphanous mist and swirling clouds, becomes a place for quiet contemplation. Even a popular tourist spot like Hongcun, enveloped in gently falling rain and fading light, is silent in repose. “Still China” is also about places where the march of progress seems to have passed them by; places that remain resolutely and touchingly Chinese.