Here Liu explores the influence of traditional Chinese history on contemporary Chinese society as well as the level of performance involved in the processes of depicting and constructing Chinese identity. Liu's assertion, "my compatriots are not only the subject of my work, but also the rightful owners and audiences for my work," makes clear his intention for The Chinese to function as a tool for collective identity reconstruction.
Liu Zheng, Liu Zheng: The Chinese. New York: International Center of Photography; Göttingen, Germany: Steidl, 2004. p. 140.
