Liu Zhixi—Bringing charm to leather carving

Originating from the middle ages of Europe, leather carving once represented status and class of the nobility. But Liu Zhixi, a leatherworker of some renown in Yunnan, believes everyone can be stylish by wearing leather works of his or her favorite shapes and patterns.

Addicted to leather carving for decades, Liu Zhixi always says that as a leather carver, one should bring thoughts and life to the carving works and figure out how to carve the patterns by oneself. The beauty of leather carving is hidden in the carving process where carving tools play indispensible roles. Liu has bought dozens of types of tools via online shopping, but as an experienced craftsman, he also made more than 20 tools by himself. 

Liu Zhixi also holds training classes to introduce the craftsmanship to youths. He believes that though the handmade leather products are time-consuming, they are more exquisite than those made by machines. 

Editor: Wang Shixue