Li Hanchao takes photos of the city of Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

Li Hanchao, an 81-year-old man, has kept recording the changes in his hometown of Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for 45 years.

URUMQI, Aug. 20, 2019 (Xinhua) -- 45 years ago, Li Hanchao bought a Chinese Seagull brand camera with an amount of his two months' salary, and then started recording the changes of his hometown of Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Li has walked to the furthest area of the city to shoot the landscape he desired.

The color of prints has slightly faded as years passed.

Li Hanchao at his photograph exhibition in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

"Korla changes greatly. Photos can fix moments, and recall your memory. That may be the charming of photography", 81-year-old Li Hanchao said.

As the years went by, Li upgrades cameras from the Seagull, Ricoh, Canon EOS 5 to Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Through all these years, Li Hanchao still keeps his passion on photography.

Combo photo taken by Li Hanchao shows views of the Korla People's Market in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in 1970s (up) and in 1990s. (Xinhua)

Combo photo taken by Li Hanchao shows views of the No.2 Middle School of Bayingol Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in 1989 (up) and in 2008. (Xinhua)

Combo photo taken by Li Hanchao shows views of the Korla People's Square in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in 1996 (up) and in 2003. (Xinhua)

Combo photo taken by Li Hanchao shows views of the Kongque River in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in 1995 (up) and in 2006. (Xinhua)

Combo photo taken by Li Hanchao shows a view of the Lixiang Hotel (up) in 1989 and a view of a commercial building built on the site of the Lixiang Hotel in 2006, in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua)

Li Hanchao takes photos of night view of the city of Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Ye)

Li Hanchao takes photos of night view of the city of Korla, NW China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Lu Ye)