CHINESE CAN SLEEP BLOODY ANYWHERE!

A German photographer has spent six years taking photographs of Chinese people sleeping in any position and situation. Bernd Hagemann moved to the Far East in 2002, and since then he regularly takes to the streets of Shanghai to find extreme nappers to add to his extensive photograph collection. He divides the groups into three categories - hardsleepers, softsleepers and groupsleepers, and he has more than 600 photographs at his website www.sleepingchinese.com

Hardsleepers are able to fall asleep anywhere on any surface, softsleepers need something a little more comfortable, and groupsleepers sleep with people around them, be it friends, family or complete strangers.

The photographer explains on his website: "They talk about 'The Sleeping Giant'. About 'The Birth of the New Super Power' or 'The Awakening of the Red Dragon'. Very often with a strange kind of undertone, which is supposed to frighten us. The reality looks definitely more peaceful."

The 40-year-old from Lemgo, central Germany, added: "Whenever I linger through the boomtown Shanghai, I carry my snap shot camera with me. Because at every corner you can discover people that either are napping in the strangest positions and situations, or are even snoring, while sunk in a deep sleep. Noteworthy are the missing mattresses and pillows!

"The calmness, the flexibility and the adaptability of the ones, who are jointly responsible for the revival of China, fascinates me."