Chinese Dream

Seeming rich job offers reach the countryside everyday. The promise of profitable wages is tempting, especially compared to the average of the rural area.
By word of mouth, success stories are spreading around. However the reality of the metropolis is different and much harder for the newcomers who have to face a complex combination of issues: social discrimination, administrative incumbencies, violations of labor rights, detachment from the family of origin.
In this context the private life of migrants is heavily affected as wells as the urban and architectonic cultural heritage of the country.Kuo Ming Tang was an old mansion dated back 1920 with a significant role in the local history. Before being recognized as part of the national cultural heritage it has been used as a makeshift shelter by migrant workers. These forgotten people adapted the building to suit their basic needs even though they could not afford to repair or even to stop the advancing run-down conditions of the structures, which, day by day, were collapsing.
This is just an example out of millions across the whole country and it documents one of the consequences of the Chinese demographic explosion.Suzhou, China. Years 2011 2012All text and photographs © 2011-2012 Melanie Dornier