"Builders are like nomads. We go wherever we're needed," Zhang Jingyi said. 

She seldom saw her parents when she was young and she longed to visit the construction sites where they worked during her vacations. "So I was familiar with the sites. I determined to have a career as a builder even before I went to university." 

Her dream has come true. She now works for China Construction Second Engineering Bureau.

Zhang Jingyi's grandfather Zhang Tingshuan was among the first group of Chinese builders. In the 1950s, they took part in the construction of the Changchun First Automobile Works – the first car factory after the founding of New China in 1949. 

Working conditions were harsh. "We lived in freezing billets. The facade was made of bamboo and the walls were made of mud. Nothing could stop the cold wind from blowing in," recalled Zhang Tingshuan.

Zhang Jingyi's father, Zhang Shaokan, started his career when China implemented the reform and opening-up policies and Shenzhen was the center of development. He worked on Diwang Tower, the skyscraper that showed the world "the speed of Shenzhen". At that time, workers lived in portable huts and they used wooden boards as tables and stools.

For Zhang Jingyi's generation, conditions have much improved. They live in air-conditioned box-like houses and technology has made construction processes safer and more quality-oriented. However, the spirit of the builders who worked hard in uncomfortable conditions still encourages her.

With time and technology, architectural design has also advanced. Zhang Jingyi took part in the construction of Beijing's Daxing International Airport, and the roof of the airport's parking lot was designed with solar panels and green belts, as the idea of the project was to be eco-friendly and intelligent.

As Zhang Jingyi travels a lot for her job, her son lives with his grandparents – just like she did as a child. Although she feels sorry for him, she believes that "as the son of builders, he has to get used to it. It's the environment that he has to live with." 

Beijing Daxing International Airport has opened, and Zhang wants to take an airplane with her son and her whole family. "I'll show him that this is the project his mom took part it," she grinned. 

She is proud to be a builder, a pride that has been passed down for generations.