Photographer Adrian Fisk travelled around China and India asking young people what they think about life. The results are an insightful snapshot of the next generation’s thoughts. Over the next three weeks we’ll feature more of Adrian’s work: today’s post is about China and next week we’ll see what some young Indians have to say. Adrian plans to continue the series in 25 countries around the world.

‘Do not judge China from the media, because the real China is not on the papers’.


Lim – 22 yrs, Student of party politics, Beijing

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‘Why aren’t there any companies setting up factories in the countryside? We don’t want to work as migrant labourers’.


Feng Long – 21 yrs, First time migrant labourer working on new building interiors, Shanghai

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‘I am enjoying exploring China on my own’..


Zhang Shuang – 18 yrs, Travelling high school graduate from Liaoling Province, Inner Mongolia

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‘I don’t want children’


Wong Jing Yi – 30 yrs, Works in a sex shop, Hong Kong

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‘Tolerance towards everybody contributes to a more peaceful and wonderful world’


Chen Yang – 19 yrs, Student of international politics, Beijing

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‘The Olympic games proves China is a powerful modern nation’


Li Nan Song – 21 yrs, Returned home from migrant labour job. Now wants to try and set up business trading local fungus, Yunnan Province

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‘If we consume all our energy, how can mankind live in this world’


Xie Xin – 21 yrs, Student of business management in Beijing but learning english in Guangxi, Guangxi Province

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‘Communication is essential among different nations. So let’s have a cup of tea and have a talk, let’s become much closer’


Zeng Yi – 23 yrs, Student of political science, Beijing

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‘Huge cultural differences exist between the East and the West. Do not tell us what to do’


Li Qi Sheng – 30 yrs, Computer science teacher from Liaoning Province but learning english in Guangxi Province, Guangxi Province

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‘The world is awakening to traditional Chinese medicine but China is not’


Annie Ho Yinni – 24 yrs, Student of business english, Guangdong Province

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‘I hope I could eat lamb, quaff wine spirits, and keep singing and dancing like I was five years ago. This is our families wish’


Li Jung Yang – 25 yrs, Was a Mongolian sheep herder but due to a ban on keeping lifestock in the area is now a tourist guide, Inner Mongolia

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(Illiterate) ‘When I go to the big city I feel like I don’t know anything’


Yang Long Long – 30 yrs, Farmer, Gansu Province

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‘Peoples attitude towards money is increasing’..


Su Dong Ping – 22 yrs, Works in a tea merchants shop, Guangdong Province

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‘I want to go to Paris, because Paris is the capitial of Romance and fashion’


Fu Wie Dong – 22 yrs, Was an insurance agent now unemployed, Hubei Province

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‘After watching television I have many thoughts, but I know I cannot achieve them’


Luo Zheng Chui – 30 yrs, Farmer, Yunnan Province

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‘I am worrying something. Girls in China is becoming materialistic, without house my girlfriend would not marry me. My parents cannot help me either. So I need to get good job with high payment, that’s what I totally want’


Rainbow Su – 22 yrs, Student software engineering, Guangdong Province

See more photos on Adrian’s website.

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About the author

Lucy is English and first ventured out of the UK she was 19. Since then she has lived in 4 different countries and tried to see as much of the world as possible. She loves learning languages, learning about different cultures and hearing different points of view.