Popular Mini-documentary tells stories of Asian crafts people

Yangbailiang, a 91-year-old woman from China's Li ethnic group. [Photo: cri.cn]

The second season of a popular mini documentary on Asian crafts people has once again gone viral online.

The first episode of "The Great Shokunin," Season Two, has been watched nearly 7 million times on Youku, China's largest video site, just one week after it was launched on April 18.

It tells the story of Yangbailiang, a 91-year-old woman from China's Li ethnic group. Since the age of 13, Yangbailiang has worked to create traditional Li pottery, a skill dating back some 6,000 years.

Wearing traditional Li clothing and living in a simple home, Yangbailiang has become an overnight "celebrity". [Photo: cri.cn]

Wearing traditional Li clothing and living in a simple home, Yangbailiang has become an overnight "celebrity" among a younger Chinese generation thanks to the documentary.

Traditional Li pottery, a skill dating back some 6,000 years. [Photo: cri.cn]

Traditional Li pottery, a skill dating back some 6,000 years. [Photo: cri.cn]

The second episode details the story of He Bin, a master of Sichuan brocade who has been working on the art for more than 30 years.

He Bin, a master of Sichuan brocade who has been working on the art for more than 30 years. [Photo: cri.cn]

"All I want to do is to make better brocade patterns, and try my best to train my apprentices to inherit the brocade art," said He.

Sichuan brocade pattern. [Photo: cri.cn]

With each episode lasting from 12 to 15 minutes, the 12 episodes of the second season will tell stories of Asian craftsmen and women such as Japanese masters of Lacquerware and Chinese Han clothing makers and ceramic artists.

He Bin, a master of Sichuan brocade who has been working on the art for more than 30 years. [Photo: cri.cn]

The first season of "The Great Shokunin," launched in June, 2016, received 70 million page views on Youku through its 20 episodes.