These photos are a look back at China from over two decades ago, right before the country's massive modern boom completely rewrote its landscape. It was a unique time to travel through the country—you could still catch quiet moments in traditional small towns, remote villages, and old alleyways that felt completely untouched by the outside world. This gallery is a bit of a time capsule, capturing a raw, slower-paced era that simply doesn't exist anymore.
Market boy with a bowl of noodles, Dali, 1996.
A PLA soldier inspects underwear, Dali, China 1996.
A resident is seen at the gates in Dali, China, 1996
Farmers work the land, Lijiang, China, 1996
Shenzhen, unders construction, early 1990s.
Visually impaired people are led by an elderly man as they walk in the streets of Hong Kong, 1990s.