The Sleeping Giant
By Roc Herms
14 June 2007
200 years ago, Napoleon was asked what he thought of China. The French emperor responded: "China is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep, for when she wakes she will shake the world."
China's workforce is estimated at 760 million workers. This country turns out half a million engineers each year, who will work for 10% of what a professional would charge in the United States or Europe.
The intention of this photographic display is to rise "The bamboo curtain" and catch a glimpse of this society - to observe it and think of China as a superpower on the verge of awakening. The inhabitants of the country with the world's largest population share a collective consciousness of the power of masses, rather than individualistic arrogance and pride.
This is why China loves jade, a modest semi-precious stone that does not dazzle and yet possesses immense value. It may be that China has already awakened discretely and we still see her as a sleeping giant.
More Photo Essays
More stories by Roc Herms
