Turning wood into gold

At just 23 years old, Shao Rupeng has already made a name for himself in the world of joinery.

Currently a teacher at Shanghai Technology and Innovation Vocational College, Shao made history at the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition, where, at just 20 years old, he won the gold medal in joinery — marking a historic first for the Chinese team in this category.

In January this year, he was named one of the "Shanghai Craftsmen" of 2024. Among the 105 skilled individuals recognized, he stood out as the youngest recipient of the title.

Shao's fascination with woodworking began in his childhood when he often observed carpenters making furniture at his home. "I was curious and loved watching them work," he recalled.

In 2018, Shao began studying construction engineering at Shanghai City Science and Technology School. There, he learned that a senior student had won a gold medal in an international joinery competition, which reignited his passion for the craft.

"I believed I had strong hands-on skills and wanted to give it a try," Shao said.

However, his journey was far from smooth. When he first joined the school's woodworking club, he had little knowledge of the tools or techniques. The initial training was basic and repetitive, involving day after day of cutting straight lines with saws and carving mortises with chisels.

"Woodworking isn't as simple as it looks. A single misstep can ruin the wood," Shao explained. "It takes a lot of practice to develop a good feel for it."

Rising to the challenge

After six months of basic training, Shao stood out among 35 students and was selected for the school's elite team for the WorldSkills competitions.

As training intensified, Shao and his teammates had to forgo regular classes, dedicating all their time to the workshop.

"We trained from 8 am to 9 pm, six days a week, with no breaks during winter or summer vacations," Shao recalled.

Within the team, the number of tools Shao used grew from just a few basic ones to dozens, even hundreds. Each day, he had to master new techniques, with higher standards expected of his work.

One of the biggest challenges Shao faced was perfecting the precision of traditional Chinese sunmao (mortise-and-tenon) joints.

This essential technique requires that the gap between two wooden pieces be less than 0.2 millimeters.

"If even the measurement of one part is off, it affects the entire piece," he explained.

Shao also paid meticulous attention to the internal structure of his work, striving to make it as flawless as the 3D models created in software.

"Some traditional craftsmen believe the inside of a wooden piece doesn't matter since it's not visible, but I disagree," Shao said.

His relentless pursuit of excellence earned him the highest score in the internal structure module at the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition, securing the gold medal in the joinery category.

Achieving this was not easy. To compete on the world stage, Shao had to pass multiple rounds of selection, starting at the school level and progressing to municipal and national levels.

According to WorldSkills rules, participants are prohibited from competing in the next edition, regardless of their results. This made the opportunity even more valuable and fueled Shao's determination to perform at his best.

Before the competition, Shao was assigned his workstation by a draw, placing him between the Austrian and British competitors, both renowned for their exceptional joinery skills.

"Seeing their speed and craftsmanship up close added significant pressure," he recalled.

However, the real challenge came later. Shao explained that the competition usually releases a sample task three months in advance, with the final task typically differing by 30 to 50 percent.

"But when I saw the final task, it was completely unrelated to the sample," Shao said, meaning his months of preparation were in vain.

This "blind task" caught all participants off guard. According to Shao, most competitors had barely finished their work by the end of the competition. However, thanks to his solid skills and ability to adapt on the spot, Shao was able to complete his work beautifully.

Crafting the future

At the end of 2022, Shao transitioned from being a student to a joinery coach at his school. He found his new role to be quite challenging.

"Teaching woodworking is completely different from doing it yourself," he explained. "I have to break down every step so that students can understand and grasp the details and principles."

Some things, however, can't be taught. "It's difficult to teach the 'feel' of woodworking," Shao said. "I can only instruct them on the methods — the rest they must learn through practice."

While Shao encourages his students to make good use of modern technology to handle repetitive tasks, he stresses that it is human creativity that "transforms a piece of wood into something truly unique".

"Craftsmanship can be described with many positive words, but for me, it's all about creating with your hands," he said. "If you only dream and never take action, you'll accomplish nothing."

Contact the writer at mengwenjie@i21st.cn