Down a dirty track , huddled on a pile of filthy second-hand duvets and surrounded by huge mounds of rubbish , a family pull their ripped clothes around them for warmth . Yang Shongshi looks for his crutch as he clutches his leg in pain . The 50-year-old broke it last year and can not afford to pay a doctor . His four children – aged between 11 and two – surround him after spending all day scavenging . They are unable to go to school because they were not registered at birth , People 's Daily Online reported . Chinese father Yang Shongshi ( centre ) has been forced to live on a rubbish dump with his family for 20 years because he could n't find a job . The government has no official identification records for them . In fact the whole family is 'invisible ' . Mr Shongshi has been living on a dump in Xinzhou , China , for 20 years and the government has no official records he - or his wife and children - ever existed . A series of shocking photos has now revealed what life is really like for the family . Mr Shongshi , who can not read and write , moved 330 miles away from his home in the Shandong province in 1995 in the hope he would find work . But he found no one to employ him and had to move on to a 600 square metre patch of land covered in junk . He even married his 45-year-old wife Li Runling , who has learning disabilities , on the dump . Their only form of shelter is a shack . Eldest daughter Yuanyuan , 11 , helps with chores while her father scavenges . She went to school for two years but was removed after they discovered she had no records . A series of shocking photos has now revealed what life is really like for the family , who have hardly any shelter and sleep on second-hand duvets . Two of the 50-year-old 's children – aged between 11 and two – help him plaster dirt around the sides of a metal object after spending all day scavenging . A rope has been tied together to make a swing for the children . It is Manman 's ( above ) happiest place and he plays on it for hours . When she has nothing to do she looks at the books her father found in the rubbish - but does not understand any of the words . ' I actually really want to go to school , ' she said . Mr Shongshi said life is very difficult . He said : 'My wife is n't able to help as she has problems and so I am the only one who can feed our children . A tiny shack made out of bricks roughly pushed together is the only shelter the family have . A washing line hangs between a wooden pole and their door to keep their clothes off the ground . Yuanyuan and her brother happily climb on their father 's back ( right ) while their mother Li Runling , 45 , feeds her youngest son ( left ) Despite living on a dump the children are happy to stick with their parents and find their own entertainment , somersaulting over the rubbish . 'But because we do n't have an official address , I ca n't register the kids as residents and therefore they ca n't go to school . ' I ca n't read or write so I ca n't help them and nor can my wife . My dream is to make a better life for our children . Anything has to be better than this . ' The photos have been sent to officials who are investigating . A spokesman for the council said : 'We are aware of the family 's predicament and are looking into what can be done . 'Hopefully , there will be a way for us to help them . '
Yang Shongshi moved from his house to Shanxi in 1995 in the hope he would find well-paid work . 50-year-old was not employed and had to move to a dump where he married wife Li Runling , all day . Chinese government has no record of their four children as they were not registered at birth . They can not go to school and spend 45 scavenging for valuables or completing chores .