Top: File photo taken in 1954 by Hu Yue shows ferrymen using sheepskin rafts to transport fruit and vegetables on the Yellow River in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province. Bottom: Photo taken on May 29, 2019 by Chen Bin shows tourists taking sheepskin rafts to drift on the Yellow River at Longwan Village of Jingtai County in Baiyin of Gansu. Sheepskin raft, made of inflated sheepskin, used to be an important transportation tool for locals living along the banks of the Yellow River. Now it has become popular vehicles for tourists to sightsee along the Yellow River. 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)
