Top: File photo taken in 1988 by Huang Xingquan shows engraver Liu Bilan carving in stone in Hui'an County of Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province. Bottom: Photo taken on July 9, 2019 by Wei Peiquan shows Zhang Zhenxiong, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage Hui'an stone carving, works on a colored stone-shadow carving in Quanzhou. Hui'an stone carving, with a history of more than 1,000 years, was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. At present, tens of thousands of people engage in the stone-shadow carving in Hui'an. Their works are sold to over 100 countries and regions. In 1949 when the People's Republic of China was founded, the Chinese people faced a devastated country that needed to be rebuilt from scratch after decades of warfare and chaos. After decades of unremitting endeavors and dedication by the Chinese people, China has grown to be the world's second largest economy. In 1952, China's GDP was 30 billion U.S. dollars, while in 2018, its GDP reached 13.61 trillion U.S. dollars, an increase of 452.6 times. A group of combo photos give you a glimpse of what Chinese people did decades ago and what they do right now. Undoubtedly, people from all walks of life in China with hard work and wisdom have made contributions to the country's development. (Xinhua)
