I started Two of Us in 2009. I photograph people who grew up as only child in China with an imaginary alter ego. They are all only child as a result of the strict 30 years of One-Child Policy.
The One-child Policy in China restricts the number of children a married urban couple can have to one. In fact, nearly every Chinese born after 1980 in urban, including myself, is only child with no siblings. The policy is enforced at provincial level through fines and other punishments, leaving a result of over 100 million only child in China. The absence of siblings left deep imprint on One-Child generation‘s identity, The loneliest generation in China history are searching for something more meaningful to connect with others.
Beside the Rusticated Youth of China, and the Culture Revolution, the only child generation was the nation’s most turmoil in post-Mao China, but it is more personal and internal. To me, the imaginary of Two of Us is much true than today‘s reality, the progress of shooting Two of Us is a ceremony, to record the tragedy history of One-Child into memories.