|

Wen Chenhua specializes in the research, design and manufacturing of ancient Chinese armor and helmets at his workshop in Haining, Zhejiang province.

It is said that less than 10 Chinese possess the skills of a qualified armorsmith today. Wen is one of them. 

Wen completed his first armor piece in 2012 and sold it for 80,000 yuan ($12,328). Weighing 30 kilograms, the piece is a replica of a type of silver scale armor that was widely used by troops during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It is capable of withstanding blows by bladed weapons.

In 2014, Wen set up an armor shop on Taobao, China's largest e-commerce platform, and raked in 6 million yuan in annual sales. Among its thousands of regular customers are the crew members of costume dramas such as the hit TV series The Longest Day in Chang'an.

Wen Chenhua makes a piece of armor in his workshop. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]