Ni takes his time to ensure the best possible product. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

"Matchsticks are made of poplar wood, which is soft and can be easily reshaped after soaking in water, and when I need to make some hard structures, I will use used ice cream sticks," Ni said.

He said that although matchsticks are only 3 cm long, they can be turned into various architectural styles, such as curved cornices, doors and windows, pillars, suspension beams, and tiles.

"The matchsticks can be used to make anything you can imagine," Ni said.

Ni said that he used to glue several matchsticks together and fix them onto a modeling board to make different radians.

"It usually takes one to two hours to reshape the wood, so you have to be patient," Ni said.

Though in his twilight years, Ni still follows a strict timetable, starting work at around 7 am and working continuously for five hours every day.

"After finishing the Gaoting Pavilion, I plan to create a miniature of the Tian'anmen Square, a place that every Chinese person knows, and then stop making things completely," Ni said.