An old craftsman in Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province has become adept in hand-making paper-tearing artworks after keeping creating hundreds of hand-torn drawings over the past more than 30 years.

Li Yunzheng is an inheritor to the intangible heritage of paper-tearing unique to Xi'an. As the next Chinese lunar New Year is fast approaching, Li is now busing creating various dazzling loong-themed artworks to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Loong.
Without scissors or blades, Li works out a vivid fish image out of a sheet of pink paper by tearing the paper in a few minutes.
Although there is not much detail to the fish image, the rough margins of the torn paper have an original beauty.
Apart from the fish design, a symbol of wealth in Chinese culture, Li is most proud of his loong-themed pieces.
"China's loong culture dates back thousands of years, encompassing far beyond what we see in today's embroideries and paintings. We should teach future generations the true concept of the loong. The loong is not a recent creation. Our loong culture is more than 5,000 years old. It's in our spirit," Li said.
By immersing himself in the wisdom of ancient books and an array of historical materials, Li has revived a series of vibrant loong images onto the paper.
"Not all paper suits the craft. For example, I never use kraft paper or rice paper for tearing, as their fibers are too long to create the torn edge as if chiseled by a knife," Li said.
As for the colors, Li prefers to those that correspond to the Chinese five elements -- metal, wood, water, fire and earth, to make his handicrafts more distinctively Chinese.
Li is planning his next series after the loong-themed series is completed.
"While I still have the energy and a good health, I will create more modern works that keep abreast with the times. I want to promote Chinese culture and tell China's stories well," he said.