During 1983 and 1984, China began opening its doors.  Based in Hong Kong as a "stringer" for The Christian Science Monitor, I spent challenging months making photographs on journeys by boat, bus, truck and train through what was still a vast commune with virtually no infrastructure for travelers, long before Internet or even reliable international phone service arrived.

I learned there were two seasons in China: too hot and too cold.  Everyday was a complete puzzle that would have been impossible to solve without the kindness of strangers, leading me to noodle shops, the oldest synagogue in the Far East and many of the photos in this gallery.  I learned from watching delight and interest turn to apprehension, that at that time it was a very bad idea to be seen taking money from a foreigner.  That was a time when in China, someone was always watching. Sometimes that someone was me.