In this collection of quietly stunning black-and-white photographic portraits by the noted French photojournalist Pierre Bessard, China reveals itself not as a faceless, hulking industrial machine, but as a place of collective efforts by individuals; if China is the world’s factory, Bessard presents us with the world’s workers. Here, we meet Liu Xiangping, a woman whose grace allows for a special sort of femininity even in a bleak, industrial setting, or Wang Wei, a 19-year-old worker who stays up late playing video games despite his three hour commute. In this volume, sensitive texts by Eric Meyer combine with Bessard’s photographs to create a compelling portrait of the oft-overlooked people behind China’s growth. This volume comes with a host of special features, from its linen-bound and be-ribboned slipcase to its tipped-on cover image and a lush, thick paper stock.