In a well-lit studio, 18-year-old Dong Run shyly introduced a carved lacquer plaque to arts and crafts masters who stepped into an art school in early April.

The plaque features a rooster looking back at its plush tail feathers, with a canopy of cockscomb flowers above its head.

The rooster, known for its bright redhead comb, appears to be wearing a natural "crown", while the vivid red cockscomb flower's crest-like appearance resembles the rooster's head, Dong points out.

"The symbolism is rooted in both visual metaphor and linguistic play. When the flower is paired with the rooster in imagery or metaphor, it suggests adding a crown to something already crowned. This combination serves as a cultural emblem of layered excellence and distinguished status," she explains.

Whenever the veteran artists gave her an approving glance, Dong says her confidence was boosted and it encouraged her to go deeper into the details.

"If you look closer, you can see the rooster's neck feathers consist of hundreds of sifang flowers, a symmetrical floral motif that radiates outward in four directions, which symbolizes boundless growth," she says.

It took a month for her and two classmates to complete the work under the instruction of their mentor Wang Jianming, a carved lacquer expert with more than a decade of experience.

Seeing her work displayed publicly for the first time has helped Dong decide to pursue an art career.

"I've loved art since childhood. When it was time to choose a high school, I knew I wanted one that would let me grow as an artist," she recalls.