Sun's banquet features general delicacies like white-cut chicken and distinct Fujian specialties like fish balls and the renowned seafood "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" — a luxurious traditional soup famous for its rich variety of premium ingredients.

His work also serves as a vehicle for cultural exchange. In 2019, during an exhibition at a Mazu museum in Taiwan, he showcased a stone carving of bones — symbolizing that people across the Taiwan Strait are "connected by bone and tendon" with residents of the Chinese mainland and share the same roots.

Regarding his inclusion of Western foods like hamburgers, Sun employs a clever strategy for international audiences. "I use familiar objects to make foreigners stop in their tracks," he said. "Once their interest is piqued, they want to hear the Chinese stories behind the art."

Looking ahead, Sun has clear ideas about passing on the heritage. "Stone carving should return to daily life," he said. "If we create functional pieces that connect with modern living, like paperweights, there will be a market. And where there is a market, young people will come to learn."

Recently, Sun has expanded his scope beyond food to other local cultural symbols, such as Fuzhou's famous jasmine tea, aiming to integrate Shoushan stone carving into the contemporary lifestyle.

Someone once offered Sun 10 million yuan ($1.46 million) to buy the entire stone feast. He refused. To him, the carvings are more than just his creations; they represent the artist's courage to innovate and his reverence for traditional culture.

Ye Ying contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhangyi1@chinadaily.com.cn