While most Chinese young people are crazy about new technology, Yu Chenrui chooses to look back.
Yu, 29, is a maker of automata (机关人偶装置). It is said that no more than 10 people do such work full-time in China.
The history of automata goes back to centuries ago. Ancient Greeks are believed to be the earliest makers. In fact, the word "automata" comes from the Greek language, meaning "moves on its own".
Born in Chengdu, Yu was interested in handcrafts (手工艺品) as a boy. At college, he studied Art. In 2015, Yu first saw automata works by Japanese artist Kazuaki Harada and fell in love with them. He realized that this could be what he really wanted to do.
Then he began to learn the craft by himself. Automata have never been widely popular in China, so it's a bit difficult to find books or teachers to learn from. A British website called Cabaret Mechanical Theatre became Yu's main source of information. His friends also brought him books from foreign museums.
When he left college in 2016, Yu got a job in Beijing. However, a full-time job took much of Yu's time, making it difficult to fully achieve his automata dreams. Three years later, Yu left the job and returned to his hometown Chengdu and opened a workshop (工作室).
Now Yu's creations have caught the attention of well-known artists, such as Paul Spooner from the home of automata making in the UK and Kazuaki Harada himself. And collectors from around the world have collected Yu's pieces of art.
"A wonderful thing about automata is that they interest people of all ages. Adults enjoy automata works as art, while children see them as toys to be played with," said Yu.
