Most people remember their childhood by looking at old photos or videos. But for some, they choose to remember it by making models of their old homes where they grew up.
Du Yi, a Chinese miniature (微缩模型) artist, used to make models of historic buildings. One day, a friend asked him to make a model of his old home in the countryside. He thought it was meaningful, so he helped. After he posted a short video online, it went viral. He won thousands of followers. Today, he has over 200,000 followers online.
Du often makes the miniature house 30 times smaller than its real size. It usually takes him one to two months to make a model with the pictures provided by customers. Hundreds of small pieces and about 50 different things, including wood, paper, and things straight from nature are used. He often visits the villages to take a closer look at the homes. He can spend the whole week studying one building, trying to understand the story, shapes and colors. "I have to be very careful about the homes. If they are good, the work will come to life," Du says. His miniature houses are sold at a starting price of around 20,000 yuan.
"When I first saw the model of my old home, it took me back to my childhood. Grandfather taught me how to farm and make toys from things around us," says Hao Wei, one of Du's customers.
When a skillful hand meets the need of people, a good business starts.
