The characters are arranged in the proper order and the ones used most frequently have several duplicates. The method is almost the same as that used a thousand years ago. Ink is brushed on the plate and then the paper is applied. The result looks as perfect as that from a modern printer, but added beauty from its intricate calligraphy and historical significance.

Jiang Zhixing, old-style Chinese printer, said, "I began to learn to sculpt with my uncle in 1984 and was capable of doing it myself after three years. Now I work as a genealogy book restorer. We can finish seven or eight pages per month and normally it takes at least ninety days to complete a book with about forty pages."

It all starts with the preparation of the Xuanzhi, a kind of Chinese traditional paper, cut to exact specifications. Then, the characters are written in calligraphy on a seal made from the wood of pear tree. Even though the form of the sculptor's tool cannot compare to that of a machine, it nonetheless has excellent accuracy as it carves out the material.