Using yarn and a crochet hook, Jinan artist Fa Wenjing brings ancient Chinese landmarks to life, earning her widespread acclaim online. Her creations range from iconic buildings such as the Forbidden City, the Old Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven to everyday items like dolls and furniture.

Fa now is a practitioner of the crochet craft, an intangible cultural heritage item in Licheng district. Her passion for crocheting began in childhood, when she started to learn the craft from her mother.

Despite facing family opposition, Fa left her stable finance job to pursue her creative calling full-time. "Crocheting allows me to express myself and create joy for others," she said. Over the past 30 years, her love for handmade artistry has transformed colorful yarn into stunning works of art.

In 2022, Fa began experimenting with crocheting architectural replicas, starting with the Grand Waterworks of the Yuanmingyuan Park. At that time, no one had ever attempted to recreate a building with yarn, leaving her with no references to follow. "If I were making a doll or flowers, I could learn from previous artists, but with architecture, I had to start from scratch," Fa explained.

To her surprise, her crochet version of the Summer Palace's Grand Waterworks was a success, boosting her confidence. Since then, she has created detailed crocheted models of landmarks such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Pyramids, and the Guanlan Pavilion of the Baotu Spring, attracting significant attention online.

Fa plans to crochet more iconic landmarks, including Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, while sharing the stories behind these buildings with young people.

Fa Wenjing is a crochet artist in Jinan. [Photo/Qilu Evening News]

The Grand Waterworks, a landmark of Yuanmingyuan Park, recreated as a crochet artwork by Fa Wenjing. [Photo/Qilu Evening News]

The crochet artwork of the Temple of Heaven created by Fa Wenjing. [Photo/Qilu Evening News]