Crafting a new narrative

The TV documentary Masters in the Forbidden City has made "craftsmen" a buzzword - and the new book Meet Craftsmen in Beijing is answering demand for more stories about folk artisans.

The essay collection about the lives and work of 19 craftsmen in the capital - and their fading trades - is replete with color sketches and photos.

That, along with simple language, endows it with an appeal among adults and children, editor Zhou Lihua says.