NPR Shanghai correspondent Rob Schmitz has created an unforgettable portrait of modern China through the eyes of an array of real-life people living along a single street in Shanghai in his book Street of Eternal Happiness. From Zhao the shopkeeper to Auntie Fu, a fervent capitalist, and musician and café owner CK, here are stories that provide a tale of 21st century China, its multi-layered past and the influence of the state on individual dreams. He speaks with Guyon Espiner about his life as a foreign correspondent and the streets of Shanghai.

Supported by Asia New Zealand Foundation