Micro marvels thrive in glass menageries

For those who watched Spirited Away by Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki, the sight of one of Wang Limin's fish tanks will most likely evoke a sense of deja vu.

Wang, a teacher who works at a college in Fujian province, has a passion for landscape design, and in 2020 replicated a scene from the movie in an aquarium.

Amid the gentle swimming of goldfish, a red gate, submerged in water and framed by trees draped in rich green foliage, helps create an otherworldly ambience reminiscent of the film. The attention to detail is striking, with a stone path leading up to the gate, appearing just as it did in the movie.

"You can see it is still running perfectly, and all I have to do is renew the water and glass from time to time," said Wang.

The idea of crafting the exquisite fish tank struck him when he stumbled upon instructional videos on creating a miniature ecological system.

"I have always loved handwork, so I figured it would be a great diversion from my stressful academic life," said Wang who was engaged in postgraduate studies in environment and garden design back then.

As an animation fan, he thought of bringing to life the Spirited Away scene as his first fish tank creation.

From drafting a sketch of the scene, to finding wood, grass and gravel, and fitting and assembling every part, it took him a month to pull off the project.

"It requires keen aesthetic sensibility, a deep understanding of biological cycles, and the right materials," Wang said, adding that all the components must be scaled to the correct proportion. Finding the right materials was also a major challenge.

"They would have to endure in the water, and be able to be manipulated and processed, while looking good, and being safe for the fish," he added.