The Ancient Towers

The Ancient Towers — Zhang Yu-Ming

The Ancient Towers by Zhang Yu-Ming, published by Zen Foto Gallery in 2010, is a limited edition softcover photobook documenting Buddhist stone towers across China. The book contains 40 black-and-white photographs across 48 pages.

Zhang approached this project as both systematic documentation and personal practice. Having identified and visited over a thousand towers, he performed a ritual prayer before each exposure — a discipline that shaped the character of the resulting images. The photographs are austere and measured, registering these structures as objects of cultural memory rather than spectacle. The series functions simultaneously as an archive of Buddhist architecture and as a record of sustained contemplative photography.

Born in 1967 in Anhui, China, Zhang Yu-Ming trained initially in painting and sculpture before completing a Master's degree in photography at the Chinese Academy of Art between 2008 and 2010. His practice has remained focused on cultural heritage and Buddhist architecture, with The Ancient Towers representing the central long-term work of that engagement. Further titles are listed in the Zhang Yu-Ming collection.

Published by Zen Foto Gallery, Tokyo, 2010. Softcover, limited edition. 48 pages, 40 black-and-white images. Text in Japanese and English.

Condition is documented. This copy ships from Germany with tracking. Browse related titles in the Photobooks collection.