In 2010, Canadian brothers Ryan Pyle and Colin Pyle set out to circumnavigate China by motorcycle. Starting in Shanghai, their journey of 65 days and over 18,000 km took them to every corner of China including the border with North Korea, the third lowest point on the planet, and a base camp at Mount Everest.

This amazing journey, about which most of us can only dream, has been documented for all to see and read. In December 2012, the brothers launched their book, The Middle Kingdom Ride, which documents the trials and triumphs of their adventure: off-roading through deep desert sands in suffocating heat, having their clothing freeze to ice after riding through frigid mountain temperatures, and riding through torrential rains and mudslides. They take us with them through China’s extraordinary landscapes, from the grasslands, to the mountains, to the ancient Muslim city of Kashgar.

Ryan Pyle is a graduate of the University of Toronto and an Asian Institute Affiliate. After completing his studies in political science, he made his home in Shanghai, China, where he still lives today. Over the last ten years, he has gained an international reputation as an award-winning documentary photographer and is regularly invited to give talks about his work and about China at universities and institutes around the world.