Catherine Cheng Libros

Photographer Xu Yong created 500 portraits of Zi U, a sex worker in Beijing, capturing her daily life and emotions through close-up shots taken after client encounters. Accompanied by Zi U's diary entries, the work offers an intimate look at the lives of sex workers in China, reflecting both personal feelings and broader societal yearnings. The series is banned in China, but this book makes it accessible. Xu Yong, a prominent documentary photographer, co-founded the 798 Art Zone in Beijing.