It’s a well-known fact that China has some of the most polluted air in the world.

Recently, Beijing was under a "red alert" for smog - the highest level of air pollution.

In December, pollution so bad that some called it the "airpocalypse" caused a major threat to everyday life in Beijing. Cars couldn't be driven, planes were grounded, and schools had to be temporarily closed. 

But Beijing isn't the only city suffering. There are many places in China that are experiencing dangerous conditions.

Here are some photos that will help you understand just how bad it really is:

 

 

Two people ride during heavy smog in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province.

 

 

An electronic screen's brightness shines through this smog in Shenyang.

 

 

The smoke from a nearby steel plant doesn't seem to bother this girl as she reads on her balcony in Quzhou.

 

 

The tops of these residential compounds in Wujiaqu just barely make it above the smog.

 

 

A statue of China's late Chairman Mao Zedong stands tall in Shenyang. 

 

 

A view from the Jin Mao Tower in the Puxi district of Shanghai amid heavy smog.

 

 

A woman walks across the street during a particularly smoggy day in Changchun.

 

 

Bike riders wear masks to help filter the air they breathe.

 

 

Boats pass along the Huangpu River next to the financial area of the Pudong New District amid heavy smog in Shanghai, China.

 

 

Everyday work doesn't stop in the smog as workers clean the exterior of the Shanghai World Financial Center.

 

 

In Harbin, a traffic policeman navigates commuters since they can barely make out the headlights in front of them.

 

 

Masks can help filter out a particulate matter called PM 2.5, which can get stuck in the lungs and lead to conditions like asthma and chronic lung disease.

 

 

 

It’s over – now you can breath again.