As China has become one of the world’s superpowers, Western observers continually try to understand the country, often with little success. In this  unusually perceptive book of photography, translated by Natasha Lehrer, three Europeans who have been living in China for years paint a captivating portrait of China and the Chinese. Beijing-based photographer Anaïs Martane has been shooting for Time magazine and Le Monde since 2001; Hong Kong-based Diane Droin-Michaud is a correspondent for French publications; and Jacques Penhiri, who now heads his own photo agency, has observed and scrutinized the Chinese market as a consumer analyst for more than a decade. Together, these 40 portraits open an essential window into this complex country.