Change seems to be the only constant here with development sprouting up at every corner of the city. Mercedes, BMWs and Audis are common sights on the streets. Since China’s economic reform more than 40 years ago, subcultures seen in the west are now becoming ubiquitous here in Yunnan’s provincial capital city-Kunming.

The Chinese Dream

中国梦

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  • 500 miles music festival, Kunming, Yunnan, China.

  • 脏辫 or dirty braids in Chinese, better known as dreadlocks, is becoming a common sight.

  • A 1:1 crystal version replica of the famous Arc de Triomphe of Paris stands in the outskirts of Kunming city.

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千里之行，始于足下。这句话和西方的 “Rome was not built in a day” 一样，也和我的纹身 “from zero to hero” 是一样的。

中国梦有句古话：

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  • 冬冬 Dong Dong

    最早以前梦想是做一名纹身师，拥有很多纹身，现在已经实现了单纯的梦想，如今我希望自己从今以后能在两年内把纹身做到很多人认可我，以后希望把纹身的传统风格带到国外发展，这是我的目标。  

    我左边脸上纹的是idea！要时刻警惕自己做一位有想法的纹身师，这样才会更优秀！我右边纹的是family，我以前很叛逆，现在懂得了家人的重要，我把家庭纹在脸上告诉自己，无时无刻都要为家庭奋斗！

    I have always dreamt to be a tattoo artist, to have lots of tattoos, my dreams have come true. I want to be known for my craft within the next couple of years. I like to bring this traditional style of tattooing overseas.

    The tattoo on the left side of my face says idea because I want to be constantly reminded that I should have good ideas, to better myself. On the right side of my face is the word family. I was very rebellious before but I now know the importance of family. Having the word tattooed makes me want to fight for them, to not let them down.

  • PINK MAN

    中国梦有句古话：千里之行，始于足下。这句话和西方的“Rome was not built in a day”一样，也和我的纹身“from zero to hero ”是一样的。但我更喜欢纹身的这句话，我想成为自己的大英雄。我一直叫自己“PINK MAN”也是有让自己强大的意思，用我的话理解就是：做一个拥有少女外表和男人心的人。所以我总是告诉自己坚定，努力，强大，无所畏惧，坦然前行，成为自己的大英雄！

    We have a saying in China - A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. This saying to me is similar to the saying in the west as “Rome was not built in a day”, and shares the meaning to me as my tattoo “From Zero to Hero”. I like this phrase much more because I want to become a self-made hero. I have always called myself PINK MAN because I believe it gives me strength. I do look girlie but I have a masculine mentality of a man. That is why I keep telling myself I have to be hardworking, to be firm and strong, to be fearless and to maintain a clear direction so that I can become my own hero in life.

  • 啊米 A Mi

    做一个多面性的人来融于多元化的生活，不把自己特定为某一类人，我喜欢文学与园艺，我拥有自己的土地那我是我生活里的园丁和作家；我喜欢夜场，我可以夜不归家；我喜欢男人也喜欢女人，我可以努力让不同的人喜欢我；我也有不喜欢的东西，但我会让自己去接触，因为我永远猜不到这一路上我会体验到哪些我意想不到的惊喜……我从不定义自己，因为世界太大，我还太狭隘，我该把自己过得像水，以各种形态存活，或平静或暴怒，或气态、固态、液态，以不同心态体验我仅有的一次生命。真爱，应该是足够自由，思想共赏，和平理性吧。

    I want to be an open minded person because I want to be able to absorb the all the cultures that are available out there, not limiting myself to be a certain type or genre. I love literature and gardening. I have land back in the countryside and I like to think that I am gardener and a writer. I love night clubs and I enjoy spending the night out. I like men and women alike, and I work at it so that I am well liked by everyone. I have things I don't like but I try to get to know them better because I don't know if I might be pleasantly surprised by them. I don't like to be definite, because the world we live in is an infinite one. I am still narrow minded, I want to be like water, to shift its shape as needed, be it in stillness or turbulence, in different mindsets to experience all things with this one and only life I have. To me, true love should give freedom and peace.

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  • Bunny

    家里现在遇到了一些经济问题，自己就想要承担一部分责任。首先希望自己在事业上能不断精进，做更多有意义的事情，创造更多的价值。 爱好上希望自己能够一直坚持，不断学习了解我热爱的文化。以前家里条件好的时候可能比较浮躁，想周游世界想到处去玩和学习，就向往社交啊享乐的东西会比较多。但是现在就会沉下来，觉得能有个教室练练舞，能够专心的做我喜欢的工作就是最开心的。

    我喜欢Hip-hop文化，不单纯是表面那种看起来很酷什么的。喜欢它内在的真实。不会去描绘什么诗和远方那种虚无缥缈的东西，就是一种最真实的态度和表达。让我觉得就该真实的面对自己和面对这个世界。很多时候听见hiphop音乐就觉得多了很多无所畏惧的勇气。目前想去日本，跟hiphop有关。因为喜欢很多日本的hiphop制作人和dancer。 除了hiphop就是喜欢文学和艺术吧，目前也想学习策展方面的知识。这个本身就是我的爱好，也和工作有很多关系。比如可能我策划的活动就会邀请到我喜欢的艺术家。

    有足够的能力独自面对生活，养活自己和自己的爱好。有能力保护和支持我的家人就更好了。我觉得当自己能力够强大的时候才能真正的做自己，才能真正的去寻找所谓的自由吧。

    我热爱自由

    We ran into some economic problems, I felt burdened and responsible to help out at home. For now, I just want to concentrate on my career, to be successful, to be able to do more meaningful things in life. I have a love for culture. When we had better finances, all I wanted was to travel the world, longing for pleasures of the world . I have matured since, I am happy to just be able to dance, to concentrate on the job that I love dearly.

    I like the Hip-hop culture, I love for it's depth, something beyond coolness you see on the surface. It's nothing too poetic, just my way of expression. It's my reality, my way of seeing myself, seeing the world. Listening to the music gives me courage, takes my fears away. I want to go to Japan to check out the Hip Hop scene, I love their musicians and dancers.

    I also love literature and art. I am learning more about curating exhibitions. It's my passion and I get to do it as a job. I would love to curate shows for the artists I admire.

    I want to be able to face life alone, to be independent. It will be even better if I can support my family. To have freedom , I believe one has to have enough strength to face all the challenges in life.

    And I love this freedom.

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  • Cathay

    四十岁的时候成为一名主任检验医师。其次做一名有情怀的营养师。了解食物蕴藏的能量，读懂身体的每个语言。然后开一家私人定制营养餐厅。无论是检验师 还是营养师 我都希望当前做的事 是能给人们 包括自己的家庭带来健康的。

    对于跳舞嘛，我不希望我的舞蹈仅仅局限在教人舞蹈的程度。我希望认识更多热爱舞蹈的人有机会向更多的老师（包括国外的老师）学习。我希望人们看到我的舞都可以感受到一种真实的情怀，知道我表达的是什么。我不仅仅是现在跳舞，将来我会带着我的孩子一起跳舞（前提是他也喜欢），希望我到老了也依然可以优雅的跳舞。

    剩余的时间 我想我会尽可能多的走出去看看。去埃及的红海潜水探寻深邃的海底世界、去迪拜看看纸醉金迷的疯狂世界、去西藏看看那里有信仰的人们…

    I hope I will become a director of a laboratory at 40. Besides that, I like to be a conscientious nutritionist, to understand food and how it can nourish our bodies. I want to open a restaurant that serves meals that are tailor-made for individual needs. What I really care about is to be able to help people, especially my own family, with their health.

    Regarding dancing, I hope I can do better than just being a dance teacher. I would like to learn from others, even dancers from other countries. I hope people can see what I am expressing through my dance. I wish that I will have a son who will grow to love dancing and that we can enjoy dancing together. I want to dance till a good old age.

    I would like to go to Egypt, to go diving in the Red Sea and explore the beauty of the depth of the ocean. I would love to tour Dubai, the craziness of the world, to see Tibet and the faith of the pilgrims…

  • Iris

    我一直可以看见很多幻觉在我的脑海里，那些幻觉是我最真实的灵魂，内在的灵魂，我想把幻觉变成我的设计，展示给大家看我的想法。目前正在学语言，准备再读设计专业，最好是服装设计，工作之后发现还是无法放弃梦想，因为内在的灵魂如果因为生活而妥协、消失，那会很可惜，我也会是失去了我自己的全部意义

    I have always been able to see illusions in my head. These illusions are like my soul, they represent my inner most being. I want to share these visions I see, I want to make these illusions available to people through the things I design. I want to see how people will react to them. I am learning a couple of languages at the moment and I want to concentrate of my studies in design and become a designer. Eventually, I want to work in fashion design. My work hasn't been satisfying and pursuing my dreams really is the only way to quench my thirst for more. Compromising will just lead to disappointment, losing myself and losing my soul.

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