Renowned Japanese writer Yonematsu Shiono has spent over four decades filling small notebooks with his observations. Through documenting the stories of more than 300 craftspeople, the author once articulated his belief that “things crafted by hand are art pieces imbued with an enduring human essence.”
Kong Qingfen can relate. The 28-year-old shouzhang enthusiast finds her connection to her past self through the handmade notebooks she created two decades ago.
The term , originating from Japanese and adopted into Chinese, refers to a portable handwritten diary that became popular in China during the 1990s. Hobbyists of this type of diary-keeping use a range of decorative elements, including stickers, silk ribbons, seals and photos to upgrade their
