The business of a dragon and lion mask workshop located in a secondary technical school in Teng county of Wuzhou, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has taken a hit amid the spread of Covid-19. Photo: Caixin

The workshop has grown following the popularity of lion dance performances globally. Before the Covid-19, its annual export volume could reach 1,000 with prices ranging from 1,300 yuan to 4,500 yuan, with the total sales exceeding 2 million yuan. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

The sketch of a dragon mask is spread on a table Saturday at the workshop. The entire mask is hand-crafted with five steps. The technique is hard to replace with the machine. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

Crafters use bamboo strips to create a frame structure of a mask first. The size of each strip needs to be carefully measured. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

The finished frame will then be covered with gauze and paper, painted with a brush, decorated with wolf or goat hair and other embellishments. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

Several skilled crafters need to work for four days to make one mask. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

The slowdown in demand for lion dance performances due to Covid-19 has decreased the trade volume of masks, Lai Decai, 45, who has worked at the workshop for 29 years, said. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

A student installs a handle on a lion mask Saturday at the workshop. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

A painter draws patterns on a lion mask Saturday at the workshop. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin

Crafters from the workshop pose for group photos on Saturday. Such workshops are distributed in south China’s Guangdong province, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and East China’s Jiangxi province. Photo: Liang Yingfei/Caixin