Craftspeople attach the canopy to the ribs of the umbrella.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"Behind the umbrella is ancient wisdom, passed down through generations. I want to explore its infinite possibilities and breathe new life into umbrella making," says the 33-year-old craftsman from Yuhang district, Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.

In 2015, Liu displayed a paper umbrella with a diameter spanning 3 meters at the Paris trade show Maison et Objet. In 2016, he demonstrated his work at the Milan Design Week. Last year, his umbrellas were on display at an exhibition in the Palace Museum in Beijing.