How 100,000 photos witnessed a river's return

"The moment you pick up a camera, you become part of the era's record, even as you record the era yourself." This is how ecological photographer Liu Ke reflects on his 15 years of photographing the Guitang River.

For Liu, who grew up along the river, the Guitang River was not only a childhood companion, but also a place that embodied his deep attachment to his hometown. As the city developed and the environment changed, the river once lost its former clarity. Yet generations of builders, river managers and volunteers, guided by the conviction that "success does not have to be achieved on my watch", carried forward a decades-long relay of river restoration and brought the once "sleeping" river back to life.

In this relay, Liu has been both a witness and a participant. Over 15 years, he has taken 100,000 photographs documenting the "return" of a river — and capturing the imprint of an era in which a city has steadily advanced ecological conservation.