Crowning passion

"Li has the true spirit of artisans. When it comes to her creations, she never takes a perfunctory attitude, or makes do with something inferior. She is really doing her best to replicate the originals with patience. We admire her for that."

Li now runs her own studio, where she makes the old-style headpieces while teaching the craft to those who are interested. Her son is one of her students, who also helps her run the studio's social media accounts.

Young people who take an interest in making coronets and in traditional culture are a source of inspiration for her.

"Now a lot of young people wear hanfu. I find it so beautiful, and it's such a wonderful thing that we should be confident in our own culture," she says. "It would be my greatest achievement if I could pass down this traditional craft. We, as the older generation of artisans, have the obligation to pass it on, otherwise, the younger generation wouldn't be able to inherit it."