Rolled paper becomes proper art in the hands of a master

Shao has inherited this skill from his grandfather, who is a master quiller. He said many of his grandfather's works have been featured in weddings and other official ceremonies.

"This handicraft is not well-known nationwide, and it can only be seen in a few places in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces," Shao said.

In an era when AI-generated art and other commercially viable works are entering the art market, Shao still insists on sticking to this ancient craft. Every step — weaving, cutting, rubbing, folding, and pressing — is done by hand.

To arouse more interest in this art form among young people, Shao has gone online, creating accounts on social media such as Xiaohongshu, a popular Chinese lifestyle-sharing platform.

"Normally, I like to write articles about this art and post pictures of my latest works on Xiaohongshu," he said.

Shao hopes to open an exhibition hall in the future so that more people can learn about his craft and, ideally, pass it down to future generations.

Fang Xiaoying contributed to the story.

mazhenhuan@chinadaily.com.cn