In Chinese it’s “百闻不如一见,” the English equivalent is “a picture is worth a hundred words.” While I can write on and on about China, there are just some things you need to see for yourself.

I have teamed up with Michael Martina an extremely talented Beijing-based photographer whose work has appeared on the AP wire as well as in publications around the world. You will see China through Michael’s lens as it is today.

Visual Observations posts are your own set of eyes on the ground in Beijing.