Recently, a 63-year-old elderly Chinese, calling himself Grandpa Amu, became a hit on YouTube. With his mastery of Chinese carpentry skills, he was able to construct beautiful woodworks without the help of mechanical tools, nails, or even glue. These skills are seen only intraditional Chinese carpentry, where all there is for stabilizing are the curves and dents carved into wood. This type of carpentry was extremely prominent in pre-industrialized China, but gradually lost its use due to the heavy demand on precision it needed.

(Grandpa Amu with his bubble machine)

So far, Grandpa Amu has recorded himself making foldable wooden stools, apple-shaped locks, a walking Peppa pig, a man-powered bubble machine, and a toy boat all from just a plank of wood. With these videos, he has gained 39 million followers and 200 million views on multiple platforms, bringing the magnificence of Chinese traditional carpentry to people all around the world.

(Grandpa Amu's self-built cottage)

Grandpa Amu’s fame shouldn’t all be credited to his incredible skills in carpentry, but also to his incredibly lovable character. Although many people praise him as“the modern Lu Ban”, who was the most prestigious craftsman in Chinese history, he remains extremely modest and keeps a low profile. He would often tell others that there are still many people more skilled then he is.

Grandpa Amu has been a carpenter all his life, and humbly stated, “it’s good enough to truly master one thing in a lifetime.” Most of his creations are toys for his grandson, keeping to his own motto, “love comes before all.”