The art legacy that Pan Qihui has made is not for short-sighted people – literally. One needs a magnifying glass to appreciate the work of the 68-year-old micro-carving master from southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. On the four hair-thick spun gold strings of this ivory pipa, Pan has engraved the 630-character “Song of The Pipa Player”, a classic Tang poem written by Bai Juyi. /China Daily Photo

The artist can reportedly carve 20,000 Chinese characters per square centimeter, with his eyes even blindfolded. /China Daily Photo

This six-piece set of ivory carvings is where 300 ancient poems with 12,000 Chinese characters were inscribed in a space no larger than 99 square centimeters. /China Daily Photo

The former physical education teacher has always been passionate about brush calligraphy and painting, and decided to study micro-carving after attending an artwork exhibition in the 1980s. With his talent and persistence, it only took him five years to achieve his goal of becoming a master in the field. /China Daily Photo

Last year, he was elected as one of the 10 craftsmen to represent Chongqing's craftsman spirit. The UNESCO also awarded him the title of international arts and crafts artist. /China Daily Photo