In praise of slower pleasures

Winter made his trip more alluring, with the barren landscapes of North China gradually giving way to the tropical greenery of South China, a visual feast Shen documented from his favorite spot on the bus — the front row.

"I didn't visit famous sites recommended by social media influencers. For me, the journey itself was the destination," he says.

Apart from logistics, Shen's trips are a study in the regional diversity. He documents how bus designs shift from Beijing's Foton models to Shandong's Yutong buses, while dialects — Shanghainese, Cantonese, Hokkien — become markers of place. "I've been recording station announcements since middle school. It's like collecting stamps," he says.

His encounters with drivers and villagers also reveal unexpected connections. Once, a bus driver recognized Shen from his viral videos, because it was his bus that Shen had taken by day.