Li's salt fields lie in Pinghai, a town with a history of more 600 years in Guangdong province. Li still remembers the vast salt fields scattered along the coastline several decades ago. But now, as a result of the industrialization and the low prices of salt, most of his villagers have given up their skills of making salt by hand.

Li is 65 years old now and his wife 58. They have four children who are working in big cities. The couple, unwilling to abandon the work they have done for most of their lives, chooses to stay in their hometown and holds fast to their salt fields.

Li picks up his water pump and prepares to go home at dusk, Dec 16, 2014. [Photo/CFP]