Former bad boy finds joy in jewelry

From feckless youngster to world champion, Zhang Yupeng's path to success has been hard won, Yang Feiyue reports.

Once he's at his workstation and has opened his bag of tools, Zhang Yupeng develops a quiet, serious demeanor of someone years beyond his age.

As the 22-year-old sits hunched over scattered pieces of metals, stones and drills, he meticulously inspects every detail of the piece of jewelry he's making with a magnifying glass.

The stones are tiny, and the welding points are nearly invisible to the naked eye.

He scans for the slightest imperfections, checking if the joints are flush, the interior surfaces are smooth, or any traces of tool marks remain.

Every so often, he reaches for a drill tool, fine-tuning the piece with care.

"Everything requires extreme precision, "Zhang says. "For certain procedures, such as(gem)inlay, a microscope is required to make sure the tiny stone is secure, as any gap will affect the quality of the whole piece. "

Under his magic touch, raw metal and rough stones are transformed into mesmerizing artifacts that radiate elegance and artistry.

Zhang says that quality demands perfection, down to the millimeter.

"A piece can take hundreds or even thousands of hours, with constant revisions and adjustments, before it's ready to be placed in the spotlight, "he adds.

A bird-themed hairpin—complete with twigs and flower blossoms—won him a gold medal at a jewelry craft event at the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France, in September.

The contest required participants to work with precious metals, using techniques like filing, hollowing, sawing, and welding to process and repair jewelry components within a set period of time.

Zhang was up against contestants from more than a dozen countries, and stood out for being the only one to pull off all the tasks with all four modules.

Every step demanded exceptional accuracy and skill, a test not only of the participants'technical abilities, but also of their proficiency at shaping, welding, and controlling the metals.

The young man's success was a breakthrough for China in this category.

"The theme for the hairpin was announced on the spot, and we had to complete a different assignment given to us every day for four days, "Zhang says.

The competitors had to come up with a design, explain its meaning, and draw a draft.

"There was a module that tested originality, and I fashioned three different petals and inserted them at different positions along the hairpin to symbolize the early, middle and late stages of life, "he says.

At the same time, traditional crafting techniques, like welding and piercing, were used to bring everything together.

The prize has given Zhang a shot of confidence.

He was one of the 68 Chinese contestants who competed in all 59 skill discipline categories, taking home 36 gold, nine silver, and four bronze medals, along with eight medallions for excellence.

Shawna Bourke, director of marketing and communications at WorldSkills International, spoke highly of China's systematic approach to developing skilled talent, and added that the country has used the World-Skills Occupational Standards to skill up millions of young people.

Originally from Hengshui city in Hebei province, Zhang enrolled at the Beijing Arts and Design Technology Institute in 2017 after graduating from middle school.

Still just a youngster, he didn't have a clear plan for his future, and says he was acting like a naughty boy, doing the bare minimum at the institute.

It wasn't until the following year, when he had to choose a major, that he turned over a new leaf after being stunned as he watched his seniors fashion delicate and sparkly jewelry with their bare hands.

The drafting and hands-on crafting process of working with precious metals piqued his interest and led him to opt for jewelry design, but as he'd previously been remiss about studying, he didn't get off to a good start.

Forced to knuckle down, Zhang developed his drawing and crafting skills from scratch.

"I don't even remember how many sheets of paper I used, how many pens I wore out, or how many failed pieces I made, "he says.

His diligence finally woke his innate talent, enabling him to quickly master indispensable skills and get them down to a fine art.

When the school was selecting candidates for the national training center for the WorldSkills Competition in jewelry making later in 2018, his instructor, Zhao Kaiyue, signed him up.

Zhang did not let Zhao down as he proved to be a consistently diligent learner, absorbing a wide range of jewelry-making techniques.

"Every time I create a piece, I feel like I'm having a conversation. That connection with art brings me immense joy. Especially when inspiration strikes, or when a piece is perfectly polished, the sense of happiness is indescribable, "he says.

His work began to gain recognition at various events, and won him the third prize in the 2019 candidate selection competition in Beijing for the World-Skills Competition.

In 2021, he and his classmates collectively produced a delicate brooch made of gold and zircon that featured elements including a spacecraft, a planet, and a black hole.

The detailed, complex patterns on the tiny item won his team first prize at the 1st National Industrial Design and Vocational Skills Competition in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

Zhang says he owes his progress to all the setbacks he encountered, and to weaknesses he discovered during each competition.

He still remembers Zhao telling him that results were secondary, and what was important was to observe the difference between himself and others, identify any issues, and think about how to improve.

"There's no shortcut apart from hard work to make it into the top arena, "Zhang says.

Each seemingly delicate and simple piece of jewelry hides a litany of hardship and sweat.

Some pieces are composed of dozens of small, often hollow components, that require intricate sawing with a blade as thin as a strand of hair.

"If the pressure isn't right, the blade snaps, "Zhang says. "The most challenging part is soldering. If you use too much solder, the joint will become overly clad, creating a bumpy surface. If you use too little, it won't hold, "he adds.

Carelessness will also result in solder residue, and the welded area won't be smooth.

Since gemstones often have uneven surfaces, craftsmen can't wear gloves because that would keep them from being able to feel the variations, so they have to use their bare hands. Long periods of working bare-handed have rendered the nail of Zhang's left thumb severely deformed, as his tools scrape repeatedly against his nails.

He feels it is all worth it now that he has taken the gold at the WorldSkills Competition, which is widely deemed to be the biggest and most influential competition of its kind.

Zhang says he will pass his experience on to younger students at the Beijing Arts and Design Technology Institute, where he has been a tutor since graduating last year.

"I have always kept the education and guidance I received at the school in my heart, "he says.

"If my own experience is any reference, young people should have some idea of what they are passionate about, and understand that only by being patient can they realize their value in the fields in which they excel, "he says.

Zhao says that Zhang is a typical example of teenagers who have found their calling after receiving vocational education.

"As long as they find a particular interest early on, they can then plan a career path and work hard toward it, laying a solid foundation for their future professional development, "Zhao says.

Over the years, China has taken a series of measures to strengthen the development of its skilled workforce, including implementing a highly skilled leading talent cultivation program, establishing a skill-oriented employment system, and promoting a vocational skill level system.

Currently, the country has over 200 million skilled workers, including more than 60 million highly skilled workers, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.