A long exposure to history

When Yang learned of this story in 2020, he visited the site and photographed each brick. "I had mixed feelings while taking those photos," he says. "Through them, I could sense the cruelty of war and the sacrifice of Chinese soldiers. Many of the bricks are broken and, as I photographed them, I felt I was taking portraits of the soldiers themselves. The shattered surfaces seemed to echo their broken bodies."

Through his lens, these remnants become human testaments — symbols of endurance and memories. "Maybe through the silent photos," Yang says, "people can see more than what they read in a history textbook."

Contact the writer at wangru1@chinadaily.com.cn