It takes more than 15 days and 72 steps for three or four craftspeople to make a paper umbrella.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The canopy is made with sangpi paper, a traditional material from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. This process has a history dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). After experimenting with dozens of paper types, Liu finally found the texture and thickness of sangpi paper, made by a craftsman in Anhui province, met all his requirements.