Sun Qiye, a post-00s Liuli (colored glass) artisan from Zibo, east China’s Shandong Province, has wowed netizens and museum visitors with a dazzlingly beautiful Liuli replica of the renowned Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Empress Xiaoduan’s phoenix crown.
The unique artwork has become the star attraction at an ongoing art exhibition titled "Luminous Brilliance: The Artistry of Zibo Glass" at the National Museum of China located in Beijing.
Photo shows the renowned Nine-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown that belonged to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Empress Xiaoduan. The precious cultural relic is on display at the National Museum of China. (Photo/CCTV News)
The original artifact, named the Nine-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown, was unearthed from the Dingling Mausoleum, part of the Ming Tombs in Beijing, in 1957. It is believed to be an important crown worn by Empress Xiaoduan on formal occasions and is among the national treasure-level cultural relics that are prohibited from being exhibited abroad.
By virtue of its exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful appearance, the cultural relic has captured many hearts.
Last year, a fridge magnet inspired by the phoenix crown became a huge success among cultural and creative products in China with a record-breaking sales volume of more than 1 million pieces within eight months.
The intricate Liuli replica of the crown comprises nearly 5,000 individual components, including nine dragons, nine phoenixes, and 4,800 Liuli pearls, all handcrafted and assembled by a team of four led by Sun.
The combo photo shows a metal version (left) and a wooden version (right) of a fridge magnet inspired by the renowned Nine-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown that belonged to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Empress Xiaoduan. (Photo/CCTV News)
What’s surprising is that the young artisan’s masterful skills only began to emerge by chance over a year and a half ago. Also, when he agreed to create a Liuli replica of the phoenix crown, he thought he was being asked to just make a fridge magnet.
According to Sun, his previous job was unrelated to Liuli, and he only went to take classes on Liuli-making techniques to fill a vacancy because his mother signed up for a course for herself and couldn’t finish it due to illness.
Though disinterested at first, he was fascinated by the traditional art form after struggling to replicate a delicate Liuli butterfly in class. His failure ignited a determination that led him to fall in love with the craft.
"When I became fully absorbed in the process, I found inner peace," he recalled.
Driven by a growing interest in the craft, Sun later worked at a local Liuli art studio to hone his skills. One of his early works — a chrysanthemum-themed Liuli artwork— won widespread praise online and was eventually exhibited at the Zibo Ceramic and Glass Museum, earning him recognition in the industry.
That very piece opened the door to the crown-making project.
Photo shows a Liuli (colored glass) replica of the renowned Nine-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown that belonged to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Empress Xiaoduan. The replica was created by a team led by young Chinese Liuli artisan Sun Qiye. (Photo/Xinhua)
Sun couldn’t help laughing as he recalled being approached through his mother to craft what he thought was a souvenir — a miniature fridge magnet shaped like the crown. Only later did he realize the request was to recreate the actual crown with Liuli for a major museum exhibition.
"At the time, my mom took a call on my behalf and then showed me a picture of a fridge magnet featuring the Nine-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown. She asked, ’Someone wants you to make this—can you do it?’ I said, ’Sure, I can!’" he recalled.
Despite having just over a year and a half of experience in traditional Liuli artwork making and that the exhibition was only about three months away, Sun embraced the project.
"I wanted to challenge myself — to bring the centuries-old art of Zibo Liuli into conversation with a national treasure," he said.
The recreation process was far more difficult than his team had anticipated. Sun and three fellow artisans—Zou Yuxi, Chen Yuqiang, and Gan Yuchen—had to start from scratch to find the right techniques for each part, relying solely on online photos and measurements for the details as none of them had ever seen the real crown in person.
The team opted to use a special type of "soft" Zibo Liuli — a challenging material known for its clarity and brilliance but extremely sensitive to temperature changes.
"We made over 60 dragons, but only nine made it onto the final crown," Sun said, adding that many attempts failed due to cracking or deformation.
Chinese Liuli (colored glass) artisan Sun Qiye poses for a photo with a Liuli replica of the renowned Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Empress Xiaoduan’s Nine-Dragon and Nine-Phoenix Crown created by a team led by him. (Photo/CCTV News)
In total, the crown comprises nearly 5,000 components, including side ornaments and decorative beast motifs, involving seven to eight different Liuli-making techniques.
After countless failed attempts, the final piece stands 50 centimeters tall and exudes a majestic presence that impressed both visitors and netizens.
"As new-generation Liuli artisans, we feel a strong sense of accomplishment for innovating the Liuli art of Zibo," Sun said.
"For me, it’s not just about copying an ancient artifact," Sun said. "It’s about bringing together traditional aesthetics and modern innovation. If we want Zibo’s time-honored Liuli art to thrive, we must keep pushing boundaries. This crown is my way of honoring the craftsmanship of the past and giving it new life."
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0704/c90000-20336188.html