In 2011, Shanghai Haisanlian published Portraits, a book co-authored with Ye San. Inspired by a feature in Mr. Fashion (September 2010), it took over two months to complete, covering more than ten cities. The project aimed to document Chinese men aged 18 to 100 through portraits and oral narratives. The author traveled to cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, photographing nearly 100 men—from celebrities to migrant workers, professors to the elderly. Unlike grand narratives or artificial portrayals, Portraits captures real, diverse male experiences, offering a vivid reflection of changing times and an insightful exploration of men's lives.
Last September, in our Men's Special Issue, we photographed 90 Chinese men. This year, we turned our focus to women, capturing portraits of 60 ordinary Chinese women at five key life stages: coming of age at 18, reaching the marriageable age of 25, embracing motherhood at 32, finding clarity at 40, and transitioning into retirement at 55. Through these portraits and interviews, we explore how age shapes identity and expectations. As you view their stories, you may realize that these women do not always conform to traditional perceptions of age. Their journeys reveal a more diverse and nuanced reality.