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Artisan Li Yunkui transforms ordinary soap bars into delicate "flowers" in Tongxiang, a county-level city in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province.

Li — who comes from a carving family in Southwest China's Yunnan province — is currently based in Tongxiang and has built a following of more than 1 million fans on social media through his soap flower creations.

His works are sold at scenic spots across China and reach markets in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam via livestreaming e-commerce — generating nearly 2 million yuan ($281,436) each year.

Li Yunkui carves soap during a livestreaming session. [Photo/Tide News]

In his workshop, a plain bar of soap becomes a peony within minutes under his knife. Li carves more than 150 flowers a day, each taking only a few minutes. From roses to orchids and dandelions, he has crafted 432 styles and over 700 varieties without drafts or plans, working solely from photographs.

The pieces serve as both aromatic items and home decorations, lasting 3 to 5 years. His livestreams sell more than 300 pieces daily, with loyal viewers and collectors placing hundreds of orders to complete full sets.

The soap flowers go on display in a round container. [Photo/Tide News]

Trained since the age of eight under his woodcarver father, he refined his skills over 29 years. Now running a studio with six professional carvers, he offers custom designs such as portraits, pets, and zodiac figures.