It was in 2018, my second year of high school, that I first encountered the forbidden stories. With this knowledge that—news and history are silenced by the Chinese government, the world as I had known seemed to slip through my fingers, revealing itself as incomplete, veiled in shadows.

That sleepless night, something in me shifted. As if I had touched a hidden pulse beneath the surface, there was a rhythm and beat now exposed that I could no longer ignore. It was from this quiet yet powerful cognizance that led me to study international politics. But rather than only to unravel the complexities of geopolitics, I wanted to confront the truths that had been obscured from me. Yet, even before this awakening, the seed of seeking out the world’s quiet stories had already been planted—through the lens of a camera.

Photography found me when I was 15. The summer after my second year of high school, I spent three months as a volunteer teacher in an impoverished village in China. During my time there, I created a series called Paper Wings, capturing the innocence of the children. Yet behind their joy lay a deeper issue—these children are the “left-behind”, while their parents migrate to cities for work, seeing them only a few times a year, the children remain in rural villages throughout China.

Since these turning points, each image I create was a moment of discovery—a silent dialogue between with my identity, my community, and my roots in China, with my new place in the United States. My camera is more than a tool—it is my way of seeing beyond the surface, of uncovering not just what is visible, but what lingers in the background. With every photograph I take, I search for the gentle pulse of human connection. I seek out the unspoken gestures, the fleeting moments that hang in the air like whispered secrets. The world before my lens is not one of stark divisions, but one filled with tenderness— where past and present intertwine, where light and shadow dance, and where every image is an invitation to see beyond the obvious.

That night in 2018 was not the end of my innocence; it was the beginning of my courage. Not just as a photographer, but as an insider, a witness, and a storyteller. I am in love with this world, and I am ready for my chance.

This photograph, taken in the summer of 2021 at a temple, captures a moment in the life of a pilgrim during her spiritual journey. She moves slowly, performing a ritual where she takes three steps and then prostrates herself on the ground. This form of devotion, believed to be an act of humility that can move the heavens, is deeply rooted in Buddhist tradition.

After a conversation with her, I learned that her pilgrimage was motivated by a personal plea—her family member was gravely ill, and she sought the blessings of the Buddha for their recovery. I converted the photo to black and white to emphasize the somber and reflective mood of the scene, allowing the viewer to focus on the textures and details of the path and the pilgrim’s posture.

Photograph
17” x 11”

This photograph captures an intimate and reflective moment of a young woman in prayer. Taken in a quiet, dimly lit space, the soft, contemplative mood is accentuated by her closed eyes and the gentle light falling across her face. The woman appears deeply immersed in her personal thoughts or spiritual connection, emphasizing the vulnerability and tranquility of the moment. I converted the image to black and white to enhance the emotional depth of the scene, allowing the viewer to focus on the subtleties of her expression, the texture of her clothing, and the quiet intensity of her prayer. The monochromatic palette also strips away distractions, bringing attention to the raw, introspective nature of the moment.

Photograph
11” x 17”