Building images of the past

Dust shrouds exercise equipment in a derelict gym. To some, they are just ruins, but for photographer Zhao Qing, instead of decay, she sees beauty in the crumbling walls and rusting metal, feeling a connection to a bygone age. Urbex, short for "urban exploration", means to explore and document abandoned man-made structures, such as cinemas, factories, hospitals and even prisons. Since 2018, Zhao has explored more than 150 abandoned buildings across the country to capture the forgotten past they stand testament to before they disappear forever. "Every derelict building has a story, which is worth recording, because it is the closest way to get into the past," Zhao says.