article_snippet.sent: Jia Huaijin, 33, now hand-makes swords in rural China that sell for up to £22,000 each – nearly 18 times the monthly salary of Chinese president Xi Jinping or the average price for a 750-square-foot flat in Shanghai.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Jia uses the 2,000-year-old technique to make the traditional swords, which are highly sought after by international collectors from as far as Canada, reports The People's Daily Online.
article_snippet.sent: Swords feature prominently in ancient Chinese history and the blades made by Mr Jia would have been the type used by warriors in the Han Dynasty.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Jia, who now produces swords on the outskirts of Zhengzhou in central China, has previously already been a garage owner, a fish farmer, a sales rep for golfing equipment and a well-paid middle-manager at a state owned enterprise.
article_snippet.sent: The craftsman, who looks like a Han Dynasty warrior with Mr Jia hair tied back, said that Mr Jia wanted to bring back the masterful act of Mr Jia ancestors and pass it on to future generations.
article_snippet.sent: Handling the past: The technique dates back 2,000 years to the Han dynasty .
article_snippet.sent: Gilded history: Swords have a prominent place in Chinese history and legend .
article_snippet.sent: Mr Jia's is one of only a handful of craftsmen in China who have adopted this ancient technique of sword making.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Jia's work can be seen on display in a special showroom in the Han Dynasty museum in Zhengzhou.
article_snippet.sent: Mr Jia's wants to bring back the craft for future generations .
highlights_snippet.sent: Jia Huaijin aspires to bring back 2,000-year-old sword making technique .
  