"I hope more people will notice the artistic and cultural value of ink stones," he says.

He has enacted bold changes to the traditional craft to help it remain dynamic, such as the use of various materials to make ink stones, and the design of decorative patterns that echo big events of our times.

He has also etched the love he has for his hometown into the handmade articles. The miniature landscapes showing the ports, bridges and blocks of Shexian county are among the decorative patterns he has applied to the ink stones.

"I'm still keen to create more handcrafted items," he says.

Those people with whom Hu's family are on intimate terms are all involved in the trade. Hu Bin, son of Hu Qiusheng, noticed from a very young age that the visitors all behaved in a remarkably deferential manner in front of his father.

"Why are they all in awe of you?" Hu Bin once asked his father, curiously.

"Because of my handicraft skills," answered the father.

Hu Bin was impressed by the fact that, in the local community, a person's virtuosity in making ink stones could make them so widely respected.