Zhang Xiao's 'Community Fire' Documents Shehuo Tradition's Transformation

Zhang Xiao's photobook 'Community Fire' examines the evolution of Shehuo, a Chinese Spring Festival tradition with millennia of history. Once a diverse rural practice involving temple fairs, dragon dances, and storytelling, Shehuo has become commercialized and tourist-oriented. In the early 2000s, China designated it as intangible cultural heritage, leading to increased funding and government involvement. This shift is visually evident in the replacement of traditional costumes and props with mass-produced items from online shopping platforms. Zhang's colorful photographs capture these changes. The book includes essays in English and Chinese, published by Aperture and Peabody Museum Press. Zhang Xiao (born 1981 in Yantai, Shandong) graduated from Yantai University in architecture and design, worked as a photojournalist, and has won several photography awards. His works have been exhibited internationally. He currently lives in Chengdu and is the 2018 Robert Gardner Fellow. The book features 150 images across 192 pages, released on August 8, 2023.