Shantou, a charming city located in the eastern part of Guangdong province in South China, is one of the earliest special economic zones in China and is renowned for its prosperity and openness. But for Ringo Chiu, it's the hometown he left behind ten years ago.
Born in Chaoyang, a district of Shantou, Ringo Chiu is a Chinese-American photojournalist with a remarkable career. He was awarded the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for his coverage of the "Black Lives Matter" protests, making history as the fourth Chinese photojournalist and the first photographer born in China to win the Pulitzer Prize.
From November 13th to 23rd, Ringo, along with three world-renowned photojournalists, was invited by GDToday to visit six cities in Guangdong and capture the province's landscapes and people with their cameras. On the sixth day of the trip, the team reached Ringo's hometown—Chaoyang, Shantou—where he was warmly reunited with his family.
"I was born in Chaoyang. I used to play around the Wen Guang Tower when I was a child," said Ringo. "But it has been ten years since I last came back. Everything has changed, and my memory of the Wen Guang Tower is all that remains." As one of the landmarks of Chaoyang District in Shantou, the Wen Guang Tower has carried the memories of Chaoyang people from generation to generation. The appearance of the Wen Guang Tower remains unchanged while people and their lives do not.
"My father left Chaoyang many years ago, but his final wish was still to return here. We are Chaozhou people. We speak Chaozhou dialect. The roots of Chaozhou people cannot be altered. This is our history," added Ringo.
During the trip to Shantou, Ringo had the opportunity to pay his respects to his late father. Having been away from home for such a long time, he couldn't recall the location of the clan hall or the path leading to it. He inquired along the way, speaking in the Chaoyang dialect with his fellow villagers. Kneeling in front of the clan hall, tears welled up in Ringo's eyes.
With over 30 years of experience in photography, Ringo has captured historic events and breaking news that have appeared on the front pages of newspapers worldwide. When it comes to his secrets for taking good shots, he said, "You have to anticipate what will happen before taking a photo, then you stand here and wait. Waiting will always bring opportunities." However, for breaking news photography, Ringo noted, "Breaking news is very spontaneous. You only have a second to capture it. And what you capture in this second is influenced by the past 20 or 30 years of experience."
Throughout his career, Ringo has covered a wide range of stories, ranging from natural disasters to political events. Despite the risks involved, he continues to pursue his passion for photography. He has transformed from an unknown photographer to a Pulitzer Prize winner.
When asked if he would continue to be a photographer even without receiving any awards, Ringo told the reporter, "Photography is my life. I don't know what else I could do besides photography. Even without awards, I will definitely keep pursuing it."
Reporter | Li Muzi
Videographer | Qin Shaolong
Video Editor | Qin Shaolong
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
