The Chinese Instagram Village

In today’s social media game, simple selfies just don’t cut it anymore. The competition for attention is fierce and in order to keep eyeballs locked, some are stepping up their game. This is what I learned when I accidentally stumbled upon an area just outside Dali, China and found myself in the middle of a selfie wonderland.

Here, so-called adult amusement parks promise, in exchange for a small admission fee, the opportunity to create the perfect selfie. Standing on top of a derelict bus with a mountain range in the background? No problem! Posing with an alpaca in a rented white dress? Done.

More and more tourists from all over China are coming here to replicate pictures they have seen online and they don’t seem to mind that these pictures lack any kind of originality or uniqueness.

Alpacas in a so called “adult amusement park” waiting for their turn.
Alpaca about to be used as a wedding photography prop.
People posing inside an “adult amusement park” with “international” props.
People posing inside an “adult amusement park” with “international” props.
More props along the streetside closeby Erhai Lake.
More props along the streetside closeby Erhai Lake.
More people posing on top of derelict buildings.
Man posing in plexiglas bowl on top of a broken down building.
Lots of red and white dresses for rent.
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Woman feeding seagulls at the shore of Erhai Lake.
Couples in wedding garment posing for their wedding album.
Women posing in front of decayed building with Erhai Lake being exactly behind them.


About the author: Ivo Berg is a photographer based in Berlin, Germany. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Over the course of the years, Ivo Berg developed a special interest for Urban Exploration Photography as well as Travel Photography, which both represent a major part of his creative output today. To date, photography has led him to a variety of exotic places all over the world including Chile, USA, South-East Asia as well as India and a good bit of Europe. You can find more of Berg’s work on his website, Facebook, and Instagram.

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