In the last episode of the Anchor's Journal, we introduced the traditional fan-making industry in China's eastern city of Suzhou. The traditional technique, called kesi, is included in UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It's difficult for young apprentices to master this technique because of the large demand on an individual's time and patience. In this episode, my colleague Li Dongning finds out more about this millennia-old weaving skill.

Since ancient times, Suzhou has been known as a city of silk, and skilled weavers. The amiable climate along the Yangtze River provides the perfect conditions for silkworms to grow.

And a traditional agrarian economy has cultivated some of China's BEST embroiderers.

But even among the great talents, only the real geniuses can master the skill of kesi. Until today, it remains the only spinning method irreplaceable by machines. It was included as a world heritage by UNESCO in 2009.

Li Jing is a young fan-maker living in Suzhou.

Here in his workshop, we saw some exquisite court fans made with this endangered technique.

"Kesi is actually quite primitive. This means it's hard to learn. It's a kind of plain weave. You can see the surface is flat, not bumpy."

"The pattern is a part of the surface, it doesn't overlap the surface."

"It's the biggest difference between Kesi and embroidery. You can think of it as a painting."

"A painting with silk."

"Exactly. Kesi is the only weaving method that's still irreplaceable by machine. It can only be done with the hands."

Making a fan using the kesi skill can be time-consuming. Li Jing said sometimes his clients complain about it. But he's very persistent on pure handmade fans. He told me it was his passion for traditional crafts that got him this far so he won't stop now.

"Usually, university graduates search for a good job when they leave school. But you didn't."

"That's what my parents wanted. But I think we all have different ideas for career plans. If I can find something that can make ends meet, and also make me happy, then that's very lucky."

"I agree. When I first stepped into your room I felt this joy. I meant it when I said I could spend a lifetime there."

"It is our hope that more people will love court fans and other traditional crafts."

"Do you think you can share that love with more people, through your products?"

"I hope more people can enjoy the things we make, even if they don't end up buying them. I sometimes post my fans online. Some young people reply and say they have put the pictures in their album so they can admire them repeatedly. I'm very honored they did that. It makes me feel I have done something good."

"But do you think one day your products made in the studio, will be replaced by fans made in factories?"

"That's unlikely. Industrialized products are unlikely to replace ours. They can copy our designs but not the inner value. They're cheaper and more standardized. But our court fans are more refined. They have a human touch. And also they bear cultural and aesthetic values. So their targeted group is different from fans made in factories."

"There's an interesting thing I found out after coming to Suzhou. Many young girls like to wear traditional Han dresses in the street, and they take selfies and all that. What do you think of this phenomenon? Do you think it may be just a temporary trend, that people are just following the crowd, and they don't really appreciate the beauty of traditional cultures?"

"I don't think it's a bad thing. At least there's a crowd to follow. For traditional Chinese elements, I think it can be a chance for resurrection."

"Yes. But of course, I hope people can see through the surface and into the core. It would be nice if more can understand the deeper value of traditional aesthetics through either Han dresses like you said, or through court fans. I think people will start seeing that after a while."

Li said he started noticing the beauty of court fans in high school after he first watched Kunqu opera on TV.

Now, working and living as a fan-maker has only deepened his wish to recreate a world of timeless elegance and charm, much as the one he fell in love with as a teenager.