Bankrupt millionaire returns to porcelain repair

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Geng Haisheng, a broke businessman from China’s Shandong Province, had to return to his family’s traditional handicraft of repairing porcelain objects – an ancient technique that few people master today – to make ends meet.

Geng Haisheng now specializes in porcelain repairing. /CFP Photo

Repairing porcelain requires many delicate and exquisite skills, using basic tools such as a diamond drill and special gels to mend and cement the broken porcelain or ceramics.

Geng Haisheng repairs a broken bow. /CFP Photo

The mostly forgotten skill proved its value in recent years as many broken artifacts are in need of repair. Plus, prices will always be higher if the repair turned out to be successful.

Geng Haisheng repairs a broken bow. /CFP Photo

Bankruptcy recently surged in China as the country’s economy suffered from sluggish growth, with 5,665 bankruptcy cases reported last year, an increase of 54 percent from the year before.