The Abandoned Fishing Village of Houtouwan

On Shengshan Island, east of Shanghai, China, only a handful of people still live in a village that was once home to more than 2,000 fishermen. Every day hundreds of tourists visit Houtouwan, making their way on narrow footpaths past crumbling houses overtaken by vegetation. The remote village, on one of more than 400 islands in the Shengsi archipelago, was abandoned in the early 1990s as residents moved away, aiming to leave problems with education and food delivery behind them. Reuters photographer Damir Sagolj recently paid a visit to Houtouwan, returning with these images.

Read more
Hints: View this page full screen. Skip to the next and previous photo by typing j/k or ←/→.

Most Recent

  • Ulet Ifansasti / Getty
    • In Focus
    • Sep 16, 2019
    • 21 Photos

    Fires in Indonesia Blanket Islands and Cities in Smog

    Thick clouds of smoke and haze are blanketing much of Southeast Asia, due to largely illegal efforts to burn thousands of acres to clear land for farms and palm-oil plantations.

  • Smithsonian Institution
    • In Focus
    • Sep 9, 2019
    • 42 Photos

    Photos of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair

    In April 1904, St. Louis opened its doors to the world, welcoming millions to see the fascinating buildings and exhibits of art, technology, and history on display at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

  • Randall Hill / Reuters
    • In Focus
    • Sep 6, 2019
    • 35 Photos

    Photos of the Week: Baobab Alley, Armed Mob, River Rescue

    A beard-and-mustache battle in Los Angeles, a sleepy young rhino in France, a shepherd among Turkish foothills, the Corso Zundert flower parade in the Netherlands, the “Futurium” in Berlin, and much more

  • Scott Olson / Getty
    • In Focus
    • Sep 5, 2019
    • 29 Photos

    Photos: The Wreckage Left by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas

    Early images of the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Dorian’s slow crawl across the Bahamas

Most Popular on The Atlantic

  1. American Migration Patterns Should Terrify the GOP
  2. When the Culture War Comes for the Kids
  3. Trump Is Not Well
  4. Why Are American Homes So Big?
  5. When Privilege Callouts Turn Callous
  6. A Famous Argument Against Free Will Has Been Debunked
  7. Talk to People on the Telephone
  8. Can This Small Party Stop Brexit?
  9. Seven Questions That Need Answers Before Any Attack on Iran
  10. Medicaid’s Dark Secret
Back to Top