No tans, naked truths

Before the 1980s boat trackers dragged craft up the river wearing nothing, not even a smile. Now, for the sake of tourism, they are back in the camera's frame

In the past couple of months I have seen several images of naked boat trackers - and they make me laugh. "These are not real boat trackers," I tell anyone who will listen. "They are imposters. Look at their skin. The buttocks are not sun-tanned, you can't fake that. These poor fellows are probably self-conscious about being naked. It's the extra pay that encourages them to appear in their birthday suits."

As far as I know, there have been no real naked boat trackers in China in the past 20 years, and any photos taken during the past decade that claim to be of naked boat trackers are basically just dramatic recreations.