Xinbin, Liaoning province, Jan, 1991 [China.org.cn]

Photographer:

Lin Yonghui was born in Heilongjiang in 1952. His photographer career began in 1975 and he reported the massive Tangshan earthquake in 1976. During this period, Lin observed many photographers creating fake images to create indomitable legends for propaganda purposes. This drove him to quit news photography and he turned to documentary photography instead. The publication of "People in Northeast China" generated controversy around whether Lin's work would have a positive social effect. As a result the photos have become some of the most important works in Chinese photographic history.

 

Lin Yonghui is a pioneer who has systematically recorded the lives of a specific group with his camera. His theme is ordinary people living in northeast China, his model is their daily life, and he paints a comprehensive picture. Though simple from today’s perspective, "People in Northeast China" served as an influential reference for subsequent photographers. (Curator: Liu Shuyong)