The lives of local residents deeply moved Yang, particularly stories like that of forest ranger Zhang Jianfu, who has diligently protected the forest for seven years without a single day off, and countryside teacher, Yang Huaishuan, who has dedicated 40 years to teaching. These compelling stories motivated Yang to use photography to preserve and celebrate the vivid yet fading memories of his hometown.
During the past two decades, Yang has returned to the Taihang Mountains more than 100 times, immersing himself in the lives of the local villagers and capturing their stories through his lens.