I was chased by my sickly junior brother who had two lives

On the commercial stage of Beijing, the brother and sister Chen Jue and Chen Jia are like shining stars. The papermaking industry they run has become the focus of everyone's attention with their repeated innovations. Now, their innovative thinking is soaring again, and they have set their sights on the more unique and exquisite field of paper creation - using paper to paint three-dimensional maps, three-dimensional dolls and gorgeous night market gatehouses, striving to bloom more brilliantly in the vast starry sky of paper art.

The first rays of sunlight in the morning gently sprinkled in the courtyard of "Jinxiuxuan". Chen Jia was wearing a plain white long dress, and the hem of her skirt swayed gently in the wind, like a lily blooming in the morning light. She was standing in the corner of the garden, carefully observing a delicate and beautiful peony. The crystal dew on the petals sparkled brightly under the sunlight, as if giving her some wonderful inspiration. At this time, Chen Jue hurried over with a brisk and vigorous pace, his eyes filled with irrepressible excitement and expectation.

"Sister, I had a sudden idea recently. If we can use paper as the material and create three-dimensional maps, three-dimensional dolls and gatehouses for night markets through clever coloring and production techniques, it will definitely cause a sensation in the capital and even the wider world." Chen Jue said excitedly, his voice full of longing and confidence for the future.

Chen Jia raised her head slightly, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and said: "Xiao Jue, your idea is really novel, unique and challenging. If this 3D map can be successfully made, it will be a valuable teaching aid and work of art for both geography enthusiasts and scholars; the 3D dolls will surely be loved by children and collectors; and the night market gate, if it can show the unique charm of paper art when the lights come on at night, it will definitely add a different style to the night market. However, the production process of these three must be complicated and delicate. We need to plan carefully, from design to material selection, to every production link, and we must not be careless at all."

Chen Jue nodded vigorously and took the lead in talking about the production of 3D maps: "Sister, for 3D maps, I think the first thing is accurate design and mapping. We need to gather painters who are good at geographical mapping, and based on detailed geographical data, accurately draw geographical elements such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and cities on paper. In terms of paper selection, we must use cardboard with a tough texture and a certain thickness, so as to ensure the stability of the 3D map after forming."

Chen Jia frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then added: "In terms of coloring, you need to use bright and durable pigments to depict different geographical features in detail. For example, use blue to represent rivers and lakes, green to depict mountains and forests, and gold or yellow to highlight cities and important buildings. In this way, a three-dimensional map can clearly and intuitively present the distribution and characteristics of various geographical elements visually."

Chen Jue went on to say: "After the drawing is completed, the next step is cutting and splicing. This step requires the craftsmen to have superb manual skills to accurately cut out each geographical area according to its outline, and then fold and paste it to make it present a three-dimensional effect. For example, the mountains can be shaped into undulating mountain forms by stacking multiple layers of paper and cleverly folding them; rivers and lakes can use transparent thin paper or special coatings to create a shimmering water texture."

An experienced old painter who is well-versed in geography said, "Sir, Miss, the scale of this 3D map is also crucial. If the scale is inappropriate, it will not only affect the accuracy of the map, but also greatly reduce the overall visual effect. I suggest that you determine the appropriate scale at the beginning of the drawing and create it strictly according to this scale."

Chen Jue nodded in approval. "The master is right. After the three-dimensional map is initially formed, we can add some small decorative elements, such as using pebbles or shells to represent the beaches in coastal areas, and using silk threads or hair to simulate mountain streams and waterfalls, to further enhance its realism and artistic appeal."

After discussing the 3D map, the topic turned to the production of 3D dolls.

Chen Jue picked up a piece of colored paper and gestured, saying, "The key to making this three-dimensional doll lies in the image design and structure construction. We can first determine a series of doll images that are popular with the public, such as characters in myths and legends, cute animal images, etc. In terms of paper selection, we choose colored paper with good flexibility to facilitate shaping of various shapes."

A craftsman who is good at handcrafting said: "Sir, in terms of structural construction, we can first make the skeleton of the doll, and use thin iron wire or bamboo strips as supporting materials, and then paste the cut colored paper piece by piece on the skeleton to shape the body contour and clothing texture of the doll. For example, to make a three-dimensional doll of Sun Wukong, first use iron wire to bend the monkey's body frame, then use yellow colored paper to cut the shape of monkey hair and paste it on the body, and use red colored paper to make clothes and gold hoops, so that the image of the Monkey King can be presented vividly."

Chen Jia's eyes lit up: "The facial expression of the doll is particularly important. It requires delicate brushstrokes and rich colors to vividly show emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow and happiness. We can invite painters who are good at figure painting to be responsible for facial painting, so that each three-dimensional doll seems to have a vivid life."

Chen Jue smiled and said, "Sister, we can also set up some small mechanisms inside the three-dimensional dolls to give them simple movements or sound-making functions. For example, we can install a simple spring device inside the animal doll, which can make it shake its head and tail when pressed; or put a small whistle inside the character doll, which can make interesting sounds when shaken, which can increase the fun and attraction of the doll."

When discussing the night market gatehouse, Chen Jue said enthusiastically: "The production of this night market gatehouse is large-scale and needs to focus on the overall beauty and stability. First of all, we need to design a magnificent gatehouse shape, integrating the style and elements of traditional architecture, such as flying eaves, brackets, carved doors and windows, etc. In terms of paper selection, we need to use large-format and tough thick paper or multi-layer cardboard stacking."

Chen Jia said: "When building the frame, you can use thick bamboo strips or wooden poles as the supporting skeleton, and fix the cut large paper pieces on the skeleton one by one to form the walls and roof of the gatehouse. For coloring, you should use bright and vivid colors to imitate the color style of ancient buildings, such as vermilion columns and golden glazed tiles, so that the gatehouse looks magnificent under the lights at night."

A craftsman who is proficient in architectural structures said: "Sir, Miss, the decorative details of this gatehouse cannot be ignored. We can weave various patterns with colorful paper strips and paste them on the frame and doors and windows of the gatehouse to increase its exquisiteness; we can also hang some paper lanterns, ribbons and other decorative objects on the top of the gatehouse to create a lively and festive atmosphere."

After the production direction and preliminary process were determined, the workshop became busy.

In the 3D map production area, painters are bent over their desks, concentrating on drawing maps. Holding fine brushes, they refer to geographical data and outline the contours of mountains, rivers and rivers one by one, carefully filling each area with paint from time to time. "The trend of the mountains must be drawn accurately, otherwise the 3D effect will be greatly reduced." A painter muttered to himself. On the side, the craftsmen carefully cut the cardboard according to the patterns drawn by the painters, and then folded and pasted them with their dexterous hands, gradually transforming the flat map into a 3D form.

The 3D doll making area was filled with laughter and creative sparks. The craftsmen worked closely with the painters, making the skeleton of the doll while discussing the drawing of the facial expressions. "The eyes of this little rabbit should be painted big and cute, so that it will be more adorable." A painter smiled and said to the craftsmen. The craftsmen skillfully pasted colored paper on the skeleton to shape the body of the doll, and adjusted the details from time to time to make the doll more perfect.

The night market gatehouse production area is a scene of bustling activity. Craftsmen carry bamboo strips and wooden poles to build the frame of the gatehouse, and then fix huge cardboard blocks on it. They stand on the high scaffolding, carefully applying paint and pasting decorative patterns. "The arc of this flying eaves must be done just right to reflect the charm of the ancient building." A craftsman said loudly.

Chen Jue and Chen Jia shuttled between various production areas, providing guidance and suggestions from time to time.

"The color of the river part of this 3D map can be made darker to better highlight the texture of the water flow." Chen Jue said to the craftsman who was coloring.

Chen Jia picked up an unfinished Chang'e doll in the 3D doll area and said, "The texture of Chang'e's clothing can be more delicate. It will be more exquisite if some patterns are outlined with silver silk thread."

After a period of hard work, samples of 3D maps, 3D dolls and night market gatehouses were completed.

Chen Jue and Chen Jia displayed the three-dimensional map in a spacious exhibition hall of "Jinxiu Xuan" and invited some scholars, geography enthusiasts and literati in the capital to come and appreciate it.

A scholar looking at the exquisite 3D map could not help but exclaim: "This 3D map is a perfect fusion of art and knowledge. Its exquisite craftsmanship and accurate geographical information are breathtaking. Whether used for academic research or teaching demonstration, it has extremely high value."

Several scholars and writers also praised it highly: "This 3D map is not only a map, but also a work of art. It is colorful and full of three-dimensionality, as if the entire mountains and rivers are presented before our eyes, which makes people feel poetic."

The three-dimensional dolls were placed in the shop window of "Jinxiu Xuan", attracting the attention of many passers-by, especially children, who gathered in front of the window with love and desire in their eyes.

"Wow, this Monkey King doll is so cool, it looks like the real Monkey King! I want it!" a little boy shouted excitedly.

"This little bunny doll is so cute and furry. It must be very comfortable to hold in my arms." A little girl said with stars twinkling in her eyes.

When the night market gate tower made its debut in a bustling night market in Beijing, it caused a huge sensation. When night fell and the lights came on, the illuminated night market gate tower was like a magnificent paper art palace, standing at the entrance of the night market. The lights on the eaves and brackets flickered, the colorful paper strips swayed gently in the breeze, and the paper lanterns emitted a soft light. The entire gate tower was magnificent, as if bringing people into a dreamlike world.

"This night market gatehouse is so beautiful! I didn't expect that paper art could create such a spectacular building. It adds so much charm to this night market." A customer visiting the night market exclaimed.

"Yes, this gate tower will definitely become a new landmark of Beijing Night Market and attract more people to visit." Another customer agreed.

Seeing these positive feedbacks, Chen Jue and Chen Jia knew that their yet another innovative attempt had been a huge success.