Tu grew up near the Jialing River and often swam there as a child. After studying in other cities in his youth, Tu returned to Chongqing for university. The Chongqing of today is different from the Chongqing of Tu's childhood and these images are an effort to record those changes-to tell the story of the riverside from his perspective and memory. While initially noting the distinct shift in urban architecture, Tu began to notice other things like increased congestion, environmental pollution, and poverty: