It’s 1997. Hong Fen, her husband Wei Dong, his father, and their 8-year-old daughter live 800 meters above sea level in the mountains near the Three Gorges Dam in China, where construction is in full swing. Adhering to government policies on nature conservation, the family moves to a new development below the mountain. Hong Fern is happy her daughter can now attend school, but her father-in-law is depressed that he can no longer make clay dolls. In their new home, now fewer than 500 meters above sea level, the family is shocked to learn about a law that restricts the number of children one can have: Residents living 800 meters above sea level can have up to 2 children, those living 500-800 meters above sea level can have 2 children only if the oldest is a girl, and those living less than 500 meters below sea level are only allowed 1 child. Pregnant with her second child, Hong Fen escapes to her brother’s house. Public officials follow, and nearby farmers, donning sickles and other tools, make a stand against them. 500m 800m is a realistic critique of the barbaric family planning and stiff bureaucracy in China. After 35 years, the country’s one child policy finally ended on January 1, 2016. (KANG Naeyoung)