On November 8, the 6th International Photography Symposium and the 2025 Lishui Photography Festival opened in Lishui. Since Lishui hosted its first photography festival in 2004, Liandu District has, with its unique charm as the “Vibrant City of Picturesque Mountains and Waters, Hometown of Painting and Art,” remained the cultural heart of Lishui’s photographic arts.
In 1925, brothers Zou Ruixian and Zou Weixian opened the “Zhenwu Photo Studio” in Songyaji (now Wenchang Road), Liandu District — the earliest surviving photo studio in Lishui — planting the very first seed of photographic art in the region.Today, Liandu, blessed with its exceptional ecological environment and the deep integration of “photography + tourism,” has become not only one of 37 national, provincial, and municipal-level photography creation bases across China, but also the cradle of a number of outstanding local photographers.As of now, the Liandu District Photographers Association has 135 members, among whom 44 are members of the China Photographers Association and 45 belong to the Zhejiang Photographers Association. Through their lenses, they capture and express their profound affection for Liandu.
At the 2025 Lishui Photography Festival, Liandu District once again delivered an impressive “light-and-shadow report card” through a series of vibrant events. Centered on four major themes — in-depth exchanges across a hundred counties, a series of youth markets, an immersive photography tour, and multiple high-level exhibitions — the festival has achieved four new breakthroughs: enhanced internationalization, continuous academic elevation, deep industrial exploration, and integrated cultural diversity. These efforts have infused new artistic vitality into the “Hometown of Painting,” showcasing a new pinnacle in Liandu’s photographic development.
Inside the Ancient Weir Painting Town Art Center in Liandu, five major exhibitions opened simultaneously: The Hundred Counties Photography Alliance Exchange Exhibition, showcasing the unique charms of counties from across China; “The Narrative Poem of the Mother River”, a thematic exhibition by Lishui photographers depicting 50 years of transformation along the Oujiang River; The “City of Reflections” International University Faculty and Student Exhibition, brimming with youthful creativity; The “Great Qinling: Ecology and Humanity” Touring Photography Exhibition, promoting environmental awareness; And “Toward the Light”, a National Arts Fund exhibition featuring works from a talent training program on photography in the era of artificial intelligence, reflecting bold explorations of photography’s evolving boundaries.
From traditional documentary photography to technology-empowered innovation, and from local storytelling to global perspectives, these exhibitions are not only a showcase of artistic achievements but also a vivid expression of the diversity and inclusiveness that define Liandu’s journey toward becoming the core area of an International Photography City.
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