With the Lunar New Year approaching, time was tight. Zhou Ziheng did not dawdle while shooting his photo collection; as soon as he finished at one location, he rushed immediately to the next.
After leaving Dunhuang, Zhou Ziheng hurried to the Northeast, finding an icy, snow-covered landscape in Harbin to capture a set of winter photographs. Once that was complete, he jetted off to Shenzhen to shoot a series of urban-themed photos. Zhou Ziheng had a motive for this particular collection: promotion. In the future, even as late as 2024, there were still foreigners who mistakenly believed that China was so poor people lived in thatched huts—to say nothing of how things were back in this era. He wanted to use these photos to show the world that while China might not be fully developed yet, it was undergoing a massive transformation.
Zhou Ziheng spent a total of sixteen days, half a month in all, shooting the seven sets of photos. Once finished, he immediately contacted EMI to arrange for a publisher to print and distribute the collection. Much like releasing a music album, the process for a photo book was the same: the production company handled the shoot, and then they sought out a publisher for distribution. Zhou Ziheng wanted this collection released across all of Asia, not just in Mainland China. To achieve a pan-Asian release, EMI’s mediation was essential.
Chapter 112