A few moments earlier this woman had been digging dirt, deep within this trench. She now watches the labors of her partner, who is so deep within the ditch that we can't see her at the moment. The two men in the background pay no heed to either of them. This woman needs these few moments of rest in order to recapture her strength. It is brutally difficult physical work, and in China, such work seems to be performed as much or more by women as men. This image conveys such human values as rest and recuperation, and perhaps a touch of resentment as well.
