Chinese PE teacher doubles as photographer, capturing vibrant snapshots of childhood

Zhang Yu, a physical education (PE) teacher at an elementary school in Kecheng district, Quzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province, doubles as an unofficial photographer, capturing and preserving his students’ childhood memories.

(Photo/Voice of China)

His journey as a photographer began in October 2014, shortly after he started working at the school. He captured a spontaneous moment of six children playing with sycamore leaves in front of a mottled wall on a sunny day. He has been photographing his students for nearly a decade, creating a vast archive.

The first picture of the six children, some using sycamore leaves to shield themselves from the sun while others peer through the leaves at the sky, received widespread praise. This encouraged Zhang to continue capturing everyday moments of his students' school life, using his mobile phone.

(Photo/Voice of China)

So far, Zhang has amassed a collection of over 100,000 photos, documenting the unguarded moments of his students — their joy, messiness during meals, moments of shyness or upset, and concentration on schoolwork.

Zhang's images have become a cherished part of the students' experiences, often referenced in their diaries and writing assignments.

"We were all lying in the grass with dappled sunlight across our faces," recalled Mei Zijie, a student, about his favorite photo.

"I was crouching under a maple tree when my teacher took the picture. The light was bright, and the maple leaves were beautifully yellow and green. The picture is so lovely. It makes me feel like someone was recording my childhood," said Zheng Jiale, now an eighth-grader.

(Photo/Voice of China)

According to Zhang, photography has helped him connect with the children. Initially, students found him a bit intimidating due to his serious demeanor. However, as the students saw themselves captured in cute and humorous moments, they warmed up to Zhang and became more enthusiastic in PE classes, the teacher noted.

Zhang's photos have also caught his colleagues' attention, motivating them to capture memorable moments of children during festivals, sports, and other major events.

"What left the deepest impression on me was a group photo of children with their arms around each other's shoulders. In Zhang's pictures, I saw a different side of the kids," said Chen Meiling, a colleague of Zhang.

(Photo/Voice of China)

Zhang often shares photography tips and discusses the concept of "happy education" with his colleagues. He believes that childhood should be fun, happy, and innocent.

"I hope to publish a photo album someday or hold a photography exhibition. I want the photos to remind students who have graduated from our school of the happy moments from their childhoods and to help more people recall their own golden years as children," Zhang said.

(Photo/Voice of China)