A career by design

Between 1932 and 1952, Tong Jun was involved in more than 100 projects, including the former Diplomacy Ministry building and the Capital Hotel in Nanjing, and the Metropol Cinema in Shanghai.

In 1932, Tong Jun started documenting classical gardens in the Yangtze delta region.

"He was impressed by the vigorous culture in the West, and after returning home, he was disappointed to find that classical Chinese gardens, which encapsulated the essence of traditional Chinese aesthetics and philosophy, were decaying and disappearing," Tong Ming says. "He felt obliged to document this beauty and heritage before they were completely destroyed."