After the birds have flown

A new exhibition in Beijing examines the experience of China's millions of empty-nesters, and the sense of loss they feel when their children inevitably leave home.

On an old-fashioned desk, sits a lamp and a photo album. More photos cover the wall behind the desk, forming the shape of an inverted triangle - as if they have just flown out of the pages.

These photos document the formative years of scores of internet users' parents, and they also mark the start of an exhibition which calls on people to spare a thought for China's empty-nesters - the parents whose children have long since left home.