Sculptures by Liu Huanzhang mostly portray female bodies and animals in a style which honors the objects' spirit over their details. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A significant feature of Liu's output is adopting a xieyi (freehand) approach of traditional Chinese painting, which honors the objects' spirit over their details. He also relies heavily on the texture and colors of the materials to emphasize the temperament of his subjects.

He uses a lot of jade and marble, whose mild touches help to highlight the body curves and gentleness of young women. He chooses woods that have beautiful grain that becomes human hair in his works.

"He treasures the materials he works with as part of the beauty of nature," says Situ Zhaoguang, sculptor and Liu's colleague at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.