Shenzhen is the home where our hearts settle

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and Shenzhen winning the title of National Civilized City for six consecutive times, more than 120 expat friends from 40 countries presented a special gift to our beloved city — a collection of excellent photographs depicting Shenzhen.

When you see life through the lens of art, you will live a life brimming with artistic beauty. Photography is one such noble art that captures the beauty and kindness in real lives. These photography enthusiasts from all over the world, through skillful use of light and composition and with their love for Shenzhen and passion for art, convey their understandings and pursuit of “truth, kindness and beauty” through their work.

The nearly 100 winning photographs on display, through this unique art language, faithfully record the changes of our time, vividly reflecting the booming development in various sectors and celebrating the upbeat spirit of Shenzhen people. Whether they are pictures of natural scenery, human history or people’s livelihoods, they are taken with keen observation, great patience and utmost dedication. Some people, having lived in the bustling city of Shenzhen for so long, may take for granted the flowers, grass, water and land as well as Shenzhen’s positive spirit. However, these foreign photographers provide refreshing perspectives in their frames, which present us with a colorful changing world and enable us to rediscover this pioneering city of reform and opening up. While enjoying the feast for eyes, we can also “breathe” the fresh air in nature and “feel” the strong rhythm of the city’s pulse, “step into” the rapid changes in economic development and witness the course of social progress.

There are two old Chinese sayings: "The ocean can hold the water from thousands of rivers, which makes it so vast,” and “A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step,” which reflect Shenzhen’s growth path.

There are two old Chinese sayings: "The ocean can hold the water from thousands of rivers, which makes it so vast,” and “A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step,” which reflect Shenzhen’s growth path. The migrant city of Shenzhen welcomes people from all over the world with equality and inclusiveness. When you settle in Shenzhen, you are treated as a local and you fall in love with it.

Shenzhen’s openness and diversity not only helps international friends integrate into the city but also provides a source of inspiration and enthusiasm for their creative minds. There is no doubt that, as an international city, every bit of achievement and progress Shenzhen has made over the past years is inseparable from the ingenuity, talent, commitment and hard work of all our international friends.

Located in the southern part of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen enjoys a favorable climate with no severe cold in winter and no scorching heat in summer. When North China is covered with winter snow, Shenzhen is still endowed with lush trees and bumper harvests.

Su Shi, a preeminent scholar of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.), writes in a poem: “The best time and scene of the year is the time when tangerines are green and oranges golden.”

In this beautiful harvest season, we wish our foreign friends all the best!