There’s something about abandoned buildings, such as Nagasaki’s famed “Battleship Island,” and the ghost skyscraper in Bangkok, that is so creepy and mysterious that we just can’t get enough of them. One Shanghai-based photographer recently journeyed out to the nearby Zhoushan Archipelago to document the remains of a once-prospering fishing village, now abandoned and being consumed by nature.
Photographer Jane Qing set her sights on Gouqi Island, one of 394 islands that make up the Zhoushan Archipelago at the mouth of the Yangtze River in Eastern China.
▼ Who knew there were hundreds of tiny islands off the coast of Shanghai!?
Before the introduction of ship manufacturing, tourism and other industries, the area relied solely on fishing. The islands were once dotted with fishing villages, but many have since been abandoned. Gouqi Island is home to many of the best-preserved abandoned villages and some, such as this one, are slowly being reclaimed by nature.
▼ How long ago did the last fisherman walk down these steps?
▼ The buildings are getting some great camouflage going.
▼ Some houses are almost completely consumed.
▼ Don’t you want to get out there and explore the empty streets and ivy-covered homes?
▼ What do you suppose this used to be?
▼ This looks almost majestic.
▼ This could easily be a scene from a storybook.
▼ Pack your bags, we want to visit too.
While Gouqi Island is full of long abandoned villages, many of the other islands in the archipelago are prospering under new industries, yet fishing is still an important factor in the lives of its one million residents. If you find yourself in Shanghai, consider taking a trip out here. You might not be able to make it the abandoned Gouqi Island, but the surrounding area, such as the Shengsi Islands, are gaining popularity as tourist destinations. Who knows, there may be some empty villages around there too!
Sources: Bored Panda, Amusing Planet
Images: Google Maps, Jane Qing via Bored Panda
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