Local knowledge

Folk houses in China vary across different regions, especially in three aspects: building, plants and farm tools.

"For the houses in North China, I use mostly extruded polystyrene foam, while for those in Southwest China I use wood boards."

Matching materials with the authentic texture of the real structures is paramount, Li said.

"A singular material cannot capture the diverse range of textures, as each material has its inherent limitations. We try to grasp the uniqueness of each material to aptly represent various objects," he said.

"Collecting trash" is part of Li's daily routine, he said jokingly.

"I sometimes use discarded transparent plastic boxes to craft windows. As for the window screens, my wife's silk stockings are really suitable," he said.

"The greatest challenge is to find appropriate materials for making plants, particularly trees with leaves and small fruit, like date trees."

It is extremely difficult to replicate the texture of such natural elements because the subjects vary in different seasons and under different lighting conditions, he said.

Li said he has actually collected twigs to see if their texture, color, cracks and other characteristics can be applied to his miniature scenes.

"The wooden sticks available in the market are always in a straight and upright form, yet we prefer sticks with subtle, natural curves, authentic characteristics that we can retain," Li said. "The essence of the miniature is its faithful replication."