Crafts not only serve as ornamental objects to enrich people's life but also embody the cultural traditions and beliefs of a nation's people throughout the centuries.

In 2015 several young teachers at Tsinghua University's Academy of Arts and Design launched a project called New Crafts to focus on the creation of modern designers, aged 45 and below, who have given a revival to long-standing crafts. The project includes an annual exhibition and weeklong symposiums.

This year the New Crafts exhibition, held at the academy's gallery through Jan 6, gathers some 300 works of art by designers from several Asian countries. Techniques and materials being used include ceramics, lacquer, fibers, glass, dye, wood and paper.