A latest portrait series of his, "spring in the ears", comes from a trip he took to neighboring villages this past springtime, during which he noticed the old women of the Va ethnic group picking a bunch of flowers and wearing them in their earlobes.

"Their huge earlobes are a cultural element passed down in this region," Li says. "The flowers add a sense of life to the photos. Nowadays, the local young people rarely have big earlobes, so I'll continue to record these old ladies and the traditional practice that is dying out."

He recalls that the elderly were thrilled to hear of his offer, rushing home to change their outfits and get ready for the photo shoot.

"These ladies are so beautiful," a top comment on social media platform Xiaohongshu says. "They are one with the earth, with the flowers, with labor and harvest."