I arrived in China in 2005 with a secondhand camera, a laptop and a plan to try to make a living from photography within a year. In the end, I spent 12 years in Shanghai, where I managed to earn enough from commercial work to do projects of my own.
When I first spotted people sleeping in public, it completely broke the image I had of China. Like many in the west, I had a preconceived idea of the country as an economic monster and of its people working uncomplainingly, like soldiers. While it was true that people started work early and often put in very long hours, those I saw taking naps in the afternoon looked relaxed rather than exhausted – and the practice seemed to be completely accepted rather than frowned upon, as it might have been in Europe. There was a sense of spontaneity and freshness in it. Whereas westerners might try to combat the afternoon slump with an espresso, in Shanghai people appeared more in tune with the rhythms of their bodies and did what came naturally. I understand the right to nap is part of the Chinese constitution.
