About the Book:

Dear Reader:

China Book 1 is a short journey in 2006-7 through the town of Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, one of China’s five most beautiful cities. While living and working in China as an art teacher in an international school, I used my time off and my love for photography to create a pictorial journey that I am proud to share with all of you. Doors, Windows, Temples, and Gateways of China captures glimpses of this fascinating and colorful city. It begins with the Suzhou city center and carries through to the old canal districts, Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), and various temples and pagodas. Included are seven of Suzhou’s famous classical gardens, which date back several hundred years and continue to serve the people as lovely peaceful retreats. Represented  here are architectural flavors, including dynasties of the past to those of modern China. There are no photo captions or in-depth writings; however, you will find a few brief narratives in the author’s introduction which is provided in English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, explaining some of the architecture in my photographs.

Whether you have been to China or not, I hope you will appreciate this collection of images and two other books to follow in 2009, which will include Beijing, Shanghai, and Tibet, along with smaller surrounding areas of China. The continuing series will include the United Kingdom, Europe, SE Asia, the Middle East, Oceana, and North America.

Enjoy the journey and bon voyage!

Josephine F. Quintana