Qian Weiwang introduces some of his root carving works. [Photo/WeChat account: jinyunbobao]

In a gallery in Jinyun county – administered by Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province – visitors are marveling at exquisite works of carving made from azalea roots.

The artist behind these creations is Qian Weiwang, a 68-year-old craftsman who has been honing his skills for 23 years and who has more than 700 masterpieces to his name.

Root carving is a wood carving and processing technique that uses the root neck part of plants as the material.

Eyes fixed on the work at hand, Qian Weiwang carefully shapes a root. [Photo/WeChat account: jinyunbobao]

"A good root carving material should have a strange shape and obvious root nodules," Qian said.

"If there are stones embedded in the root, the artwork will have rich layers and stronger plasticity," Qian added.

He spends most of his time in his studio. He says that creating root carving works requires a key level of smoothness – taking about two months to produce a finished product.

Qian's not only a master but also a teacher who instructs enthusiasts at a nearby root workshop every Saturday. He's also a representative inheritor of the Jinyun county intangible cultural heritage.

As such, he is determined to enrich his collection and promote the charms of traditional culture.