By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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13:59 am. Chen Qing take a cigarette break outside for a couple of minutes. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
13:59 am. Chen Qing take a cigarette break outside for a couple of minutes. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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07:12 am. Chen styles his hair infront of a mirror in his dormitory before leaving for work. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
07:12 am. Chen styles his hair infront of a mirror in his dormitory before leaving for work. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×






Life of a young Chinese Migrant worker


In collaboration with the Center for Child Right and Corporate Social Responsibility (CCR CSR) In June 2013, I shadowed and photographed young 20 year old migrant worker, Chen Qing over a 24 hour period.  This unique documentation provides an insight into the everyday life of the estimated 280 million rural migrant workers, the backbone workforce behind China's economic rise. 


UPDATE: 2017 Chen Qing is now married, has a child and works in a relative's textile factory. 


Further images are available on request.  All images © Jonathan Browning.

By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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07:27 am. Chen Qing dresses and washes his face before leaving for work. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
07:27 am. Chen Qing dresses and washes his face before leaving for work. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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07:22 am. Chen eats a breakfast snack whilst walking to the factory where he works. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
07:22 am. Chen eats a breakfast snack whilst walking to the factory where he works. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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13:04 pm. Chen Qing is back at work after a brief lunch. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
13:04 pm. Chen Qing is back at work after a brief lunch. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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16:15 pm. Chen Qing works on a new colour of clothing. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
16:15 pm. Chen Qing works on a new colour of clothing. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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16: 47 pm. A supervisor checks the quality of his sowing. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
16: 47 pm. A supervisor checks the quality of his sowing. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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09:51 am. Chen Qing opens up the sowing machine to fix the path of the thread. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
09:51 am. Chen Qing opens up the sowing machine to fix the path of the thread. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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14:50 pm. A rack of finished garments line up on the factory floor. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
14:50 pm. A rack of finished garments line up on the factory floor. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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11:29am. Chen Qing is on his lunch break in an adjacent building to the factory. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
11:29am. Chen Qing is on his lunch break in an adjacent building to the factory. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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19:02 pm. The cooking area of his Chen's mothers dormitory. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
19:02 pm. The cooking area of his Chen's mothers dormitory. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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18:11 pm. Chen Qing rests on his mothers bed in her dormitory before dinner. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
18:11 pm. Chen Qing rests on his mothers bed in her dormitory before dinner. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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17: 27 pm. Chen has finished work and looks over a neighbouring factory wall to see if he can spot his girlfriend coming out of the factory. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
17: 27 pm. Chen has finished work and looks over a neighbouring factory wall to see if he can spot his girlfriend coming out of the factory. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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19:12 pm. Chen Qing gives his girlfriend, Tang Jinhua, a playful kiss whilst sitting on his mothers bed. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
19:12 pm. Chen Qing gives his girlfriend, Tang Jinhua, a playful kiss whilst sitting on his mothers bed. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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20:33 pm. Chen Qing visits an internet cafe close to his own dormitory to play computer games. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
20:33 pm. Chen Qing visits an internet cafe close to his own dormitory to play computer games. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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21:45 pm. Chen Qing and his girlfriend watch Expendables 2 whilst in the internet cafe. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
21:45 pm. Chen Qing and his girlfriend watch Expendables 2 whilst in the internet cafe. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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22:04 pm. Chen Qing washes his feet in a plastic basin before getting ready for bed. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
22:04 pm. Chen Qing washes his feet in a plastic basin before getting ready for bed. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
By London and Shanghai-based photographer. All images © Jonathan Browning
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22:15pm. Chen Qing returns to his dormitory after going to use the public toilet about 200 metres away from his room. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×
22:15pm. Chen Qing returns to his dormitory after going to use the public toilet about 200 metres away from his room. Young migrant worker, Chen Qing (陈庆 ) 20 years old, in Kunshan industrial zone. Jiangsu, China. By London-based photographer Jonathan Browning ×

Brighton and London-based photographer.
j@jonbrowning.co.uk | +44 0783 5002 279