Zhao Rubing shapes wood for chopsticks in his workshop. [Photo/WeChat account: haimenfabu]

Zhao Rubing has been making chopsticks by hand for four decades in Haimen district, Nantong.

He began at 17 and still works in a small workshop, shaping raw wood into smooth chopsticks. The craft, known as Haimen chopstick-making, was added to the district's intangible cultural heritage list in 2020.

His process is painstaking. He selects only sound logs free of defects, no easy task given how many rare hardwoods are hollow at the core. The logs are then air-dried in the shade for two to three years to prevent warping. He cuts rough blanks, shapes them, and sands them with six grades of abrasive paper. Five coats of raw lacquer follow, each left to dry for several days. Even the simplest pair takes over 20 days.

Zhao has moved beyond traditional forms. He works with rare hardwoods and carves traditional Chinese motifs, including zodiac animals and floral designs, into the shafts. His "interlocking chopsticks" are carved from one piece of wood into a linked chain. He also adds decorative materials to the ends and uses laser engraving.

His work has been shown in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as at intangible cultural heritage exhibitions and international events. Even so, the market remains limited.

Zhao said that although mass-produced alternatives undercut him on price and he has no apprentice, he does not want to chase volume. He plans to open an exhibition hall where young people can see the craft and try their hand at it.