"Customers would come to Hangji from Shanghai, Zhejiang and even northeastern China to see the samples and place orders."

The craft suffered during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and again in the 1950s. Soon after, the mass adoption of digital typesetting and laser printing pushed woodblocks into the realm of niche novelty.

Chen says fewer than 30 people were engaged in the trade during the lowest ebbs.

The country emphasized cultural heritage following New China's founding in 1949, leading to the establishment of the Yangzhou Guangling Ancient Book Engraving Co Ltd, which has since then fulfilled its mission to preserve the ancient craft.