Prologue

Walking can feel like time travel when moving through historical places that have adapted to contemporary needs while retaining visible traces of their past.Although the idea of preservation as we understand it today is not as old as often assumed, from a European perspective, it has become deeply naturalised. Preservation is frequently treated as a moral imperative rather than a historical choice, grounded in the belief that stabilising time and material history is a cultural responsibility.As a photographer and walking artist, I do not claim expertise in preservation, restoration, or urban heritage. My position is experiential, shaped by movement and observation. As a European traveller in Asia, I often struggle to orient myself historically. A recurring perceptual short circuit emerges: how old is what I am looking at?Some elements appear ancient, others clearly recent, they coexist without distinction. A structure may originate in the Ming dynasty, be rebuilt five years ago, or be entirely contemporary while presenting itself as historical. This might his responds to a contemporary demand for antique, romantic, and timeless imagery, as in Wangxian Valley Town, a modern reconstruction rather than an untouched ancient village.

Act I – Zhongshan Qilou

I approached Jieyang from its twin city, Chaozhou, by taxi, as there was no direct train or bus connection. Infrastructure and attention have shifted toward the high speed rail network, leaving this area partially outside the dominant contemporary narrative.The main square, however, is full of people and activity. Unable to distinguish tourists from residents, the area appears active rather than abandoned.Zhongshan Qilou Street lies in the heart of Jieyang’s old city. Qilou refers to an architectural type found across southern China and Southeast Asia, characterized by continuous covered walkways at street level supported by columns, forming sheltered pedestrian corridors integrated into commercial streets.Most Qilou buildings were constructed during the Republican period, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s. They combine local Teochew traditions with Western colonial and Nanyang influences, often linked to overseas merchants returning to invest. While the facades appear relatively recent, the underlying street network dates to the Qing period, around 1656, built upon an earlier Ming era structure.

Act II – Walking

I was caught off guard by the city. The conditions I encountered were unexpected, and this is reflected in the rough footage of the walking piece. When the taxi dropped me at the coordinates on my phone, it was immediately clear that reality did not match my expectations.Initially, I assumed the visit would be brief. Much of what I saw was dominated by scaffolding and construction. I soon understood this as an opportunity to document a large scale reconstruction process unfolding in parallel. Experiencing and recording the passage of time through walking became the core of the work.Without a map or phone, I walked for more than two hours, got lost repeatedly, doubled back, and crossed streets by walking along exposed sewer pipes.The piece documents multiple stages of transition within a continuous urban space. Some streets appear untouched. In others, people sell goods next to buildings under renovation. Elsewhere, workers install water pipes, sewer systems, electrical wiring, and internet cables in open streets.All these conditions coexist. Within a single walk, I encountered empty finished buildings, partially staged structures, and fully refurbished commercial spaces. Different temporal states overlap within one spatial experience.

Act III – Consequences

Imagine a village understood as a stable entity undergoing restoration or rebuilding across its entire perimeter at once. Streets are opened simultaneously. Infrastructure is replaced. Buildings are addressed in parallel by multiple teams.This work is not a critique, nor a moral judgment. It may be an effective way to preserve urban functionality rather than material continuity alone. I do not have the historical tools to assess whether similar processes occurred in earlier periods.What is certain is that returning to here in a year will likely produce a radically different experience. Without knowledge of its transformation, the renewed city could easily be perceived as static.This raises broader questions. What is required for a city to remain functional today? What is exchanged in this process, and what is irreversibly lost? Are we rebuilding structures, or redefining relationships to place?In nearby Chaoshan, the reconstruction of commemorative archways, or paifang, has coincided with a shift toward tourism oriented commerce, leaving limited space for local businesses.As a society, we will live with the consequences of these choices.The walk does not resolve these questions. It documents their presence.

Watch the full video HERE