Living in the "Glass Box"

Illustration Book

This illustration story describes a woman’s 6 stages of life that child, student, worker, wife, mother and grandma with different life pressure, housing problem and family relationship.

On the other hand, you could wear a cardboard glasses with red lenses when you reading. It looks like a magic we could get a double reading that shows us a hidden meaning.

There are a series of illustration story reflect the issues which is living in the “Glass Box” we have to face in China today.

Child

Based on my childhood memories that lived in the tube-shaped apartment with my parents.

The home just 8 square meters where is an incredibly tiny living space for a family, but it has deep meaning in my life. It means that this was the start of my life and I learned how do know the world from my family.

Student

Chinese student apartment have to be shared by 4-6 students. Each student has a “separate space”, and under their beds are cabinets and desks.

Students have unique thought, emotion, behavior, secret and share with others lead to the unique dorm culture is an important part of campus.

Working in a big city

Cramped living spaces have to be shared with others, even private spaces such as bathrooms.The stress of work makes workers feel squeezed and lonely.

When the reader wears a red glasses, the surrounding crowded environment will disappear, showing you alone in this city life, lonely and hard.

It's time to get married

The Women’s Federation defined “leftover” women (sheng nu) as unmarried women over the age of 27."

“Chinese parents often say that seeing their children married and their grandchildren born are their nal tasks in life, and at the marriage market they take personal charge of that mission.” (Sheehan, M. 2015)

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