Zhang Guoqing checks the shape of a newly-made shoe tree in his workshop in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 1, 2016. Deep in the hutongs of central Beijing, the 53-year-old shoemaker remains seated in front of the second-hand sewing machine all day, except when sleeping and dining."I have always dreamed of making shoes," Zhang said. He only averages two pairs of shoes each month. "I charge around 200 yuan in labor per day. Combined with the cost of material, a pair of shoes at my workshop is around 4,000 yuan." China has more than 3,000 years history in making leather shoes, Zhang said, but with the rise of modern industry, traditional handicrafts have lost their glory. "Handicrafts should supplement modern industry," Zhang said. "I believe in another old Chinese saying 'adept skill is better than fertile farmland'." (Photo: Xinhua/Wu Kaixiang)
