For those who have not experienced it firsthand, it is difficult to fathom the extent of surveillance and the intrusiveness of restrictions imposed by the Chinese government to control the spread of the virus. There was a constant fear of being tested positive and taken to a quarantine camp, separated from family and friends. Or confined to one’s apartment for weeks or months, if a single case popped up in your neighborhood. Not to mention the extremely harsh city-wide lockdowns affecting hundreds of millions of people all over China, causing hardship and pain on many levels. China’s zero-Covid policy was declared an “all-out people’s war” by the central committee and was the primary objective for all branches and levels of the government. It affected every aspect of life in China and was pursued single-mindedly by an army of men and women in white hazmat suits, equipped with unlimited resources and advanced surveillance technology. Initially, there was wide-spread support for the policy, but this slowly turned into disbelief and helplessness about its inhumane aspects and extremes, eventually leading into despair and anger.
And then zero-Covid was gone. Without transition, with no apologies, and with few, if any, explanations, but much victorious news messaging from government-controlled media. All control measures and restrictions were lifted in one go. The change was so sudden, it felt surreal. It was as if the guards of a high-tech security prison had vanished overnight, leaving the doors unlocked. It seemed as though people emerged into the open, blinking in the sunlight, yet unable to fully trust the newfound freedom. A few weeks later, the country’s helmsman appeared on prime time TV and proclaimed in front of a maskless audience that a new dawn is just ahead. He urged his people to focus on the future and not dwell on the past. Individuals tried to regain their former lives and habits. Memories of the suffering and absurdities of the past three years slowly faded away. Helped by the government, which, as many times before, rewrote history and declared its handling of the pandemic a miracle in scientific and rational leadership.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Shanghai, 26.12.2023
Titles of the images are drawn from official Chinese propaganda slogans
Ralph Steinegger, born in 1976 near Zurich, is a Swiss photographer who has lived in Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, New York, Istanbul, Singapore and Shanghai. His early interest in maps and stories of explorers has instilled in him a curiosity for the world around him, which defines him as a person but also shapes his approach to photography. He has a profound interest in the urban landscapes of the rapidly growing megacities of this world, particularly their continuous transformation, inherent contradictions, and things slightly out of place. While his images often lack a visible human presence, they document the spaces we inhabit and the environment we shape. Ralph is fascinated by the adaptability of the human species, our ability to find comfort in the most inhospitable conditions, and to make almost any place feel like home. He was among the winners of the Urbanautica Institute Award 2020 and 2023 in the category environment, nature, perspectives. His work has been published in a range of print and online publications.
© Text and pictures by Ralph Steinegger
