China Exploration Photos -- National Geographic

Rural Migration Issues
Photograph by Ryamond Gehman
Building on our legacy of supporting groundbreaking research and vital conservation worldwide for more than a century, National Geographic has established a new grant program in China. The National Geographic Air and Water Conservation Fund will support the field research of Chinese scientists who are exploring innovative solutions to water and air quality issues. This gallery features a sampling of previous exploration in China across the scientific spectrum that National Geographic has been funding since 1888.
Pictured: Wei Song set out to assess the level of neighborhood segregation between migrants and permanent residents in Beijing. Geographical, demographic, and social-economic data of migrants was collected and compiled at "street block" level. This project represents a spatial approach to studying the increasingly important rural migrant issues in China.
Tibetan Antelope Migration
Photograph by Xi Zhinong/Minden Pictures
The skulls of poached Tibetan antelope, or chiru, sit near the Arjin Mountains in northwestern China. Decimated for their shahtoosh—the fine wool specific to the animal—the species is now endangered. Paul Buzzard hopes to study the animals' migration route in order to properly manage the species and protect their long-distance migration.
Skeleton Secrets
Photograph by O. Louis Mazzatenta
Bioarchaeologist Christine Lee's exploration often begins with a tooth. By combining physical anthropology and archaeology in order to study human remains, she can learn stories from skeletons and ancient civilizations. Lee hopes that her research can provide information between two cultures: the United States, where she was raised, and China, where she works.
Fighting the Wildlife Trade
Photograph by Mark Leong
In Guangdong, China, threatened wildlife like the gold coin turtle pictured here are used for practices like traditional Chinese medicine and for business company dinners. Through awareness programs that inform the public about which species are protected, Elizabeth Bennett encourages key players to use alternatives to wildlife and understand how the species are links to other problems, including human health risks like SARS and avian influenza.
Feathered Dinosaur
Photograph by Ira Block
When you think of the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex and its early ancestors, you might not picture a feathered creature. But scientists like Xing Xu say the 160-million-year-old Guanlong wucaii, discovered in the Xinjiang Province in northwest China, had an elaborate crest head and possibly bore simple feathers.
Re-Creating the Long March
Photograph by Steve McCurry
Over seventy years ago, China's Red Army set out on a trek that lasted one year and covered over 6,000 miles. Among these soldiers was Diane Zhang's father. In an attempt to share his story, Zhang set out to retrace her father's footsteps and connect him with the epic event that shaped China.
Search for a Giant
Photograph by Joel Sartore
The critically endangered Chinese giant salamander, the world's largest amphibian, has declined dramatically in wild populations over the past several decades. Todd W. Pierson believes that a potentially new species lives in an unaddressed area in the Qinhai Province—a discovery that could help guide conservation efforts in China.

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