Artists in Dalian, Liaoning province, have created a shell carving to carry on the spirit of the Red Boat, an icon in the history of the Communist Party of China.

The 88-centimeter-long boat, which is 30 cm wide and 38 cm tall, was clad with polished abalone shell tiles, with wooden parts made with traditional mortise and tenon techniques.

The team, under Jin Ashan, a master of Chinese arts and crafts as well as a successor of the shell carving heritage, wanted to convey their best wishes to the Party and the motherland with the work.

“We used the best part of the abalone shell to make the tiles,” Jin said, adding that Dalian is famous for its seafood and for its shell carvings.

The craftsmen used some new techniques that combined shells, gold and precious stones.

Zhang Chunlei contributed to this story.