Xu Boxin gets to work on a piece. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

Xu Boxin, a 10-year-old girl from Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province, has created widespread excitement online with her six-meter-long illustrated booklet that brings ancient Chinese artifacts to life.

A third-grader from Yuyao, a county-level city administered by Ningbo, Xu has been fascinated by museums for as long as her mom can remember.

"She was barely old enough to read, but she couldn't take her eyes off the bronze displays," her mother, Kang, recalled. That early interest has since grown into a creative passion. Using scissors, stacks of marker pens and plenty of patience, Xu set out to recreate the artifacts she admires most.

Rather than casual sketches, her drawings are the result of careful study and planning. Before she starts a drawing, she studies photos of the object closely, tests the colors on scrap paper and carefully layers shades to capture the right texture, light and detail.

Her favorite piece in the booklet is the phoenix crown from the National Museum of China, which features gold, pearls, rubies and brilliant blue inlays made with kingfisher feathers.

"She's extremely picky about her tools," said Kang. "She'll test a single marker over and over until it gives just the right gradient," the proud mother declared.

Xu doesn't only draw the relics, but also researches their history. For her mom, what matters most is not just the artwork, but the curiosity and love of learning that come with it.