From vivid depictions of mountains and streams to a fictitious land of peace, Zhou Yun's jade-carving works echo the life to which he aspires. Unlike the imagined figures who had served their time, the 35-year-old man creates calm and gentle characters.

Nine years of prison life from 2012 to 2020 gave Zhou a chance to closely study and immerse himself in jade carving. The appearance of jade is changed and the value is increased after being carved.

Mastering the craft over many years while serving in the jail, Zhou is now running a jade-carving workshop.

"My main purpose in establishing this workshop is to pass on the jade-carving craft to more people in need," Zhou said. "Like some people with disabilities or from disadvantaged groups, sometimes a skill can bring them a higher quality of life."

Prisons in Shanghai such as Qingpu Prison and Nanhui Prison provide training classes to help reform prisoners and give them skills that might be useful when they are released.

Some of the classes involve skills of an intangible cultural heritage. Zhou was drawn to the charm of jade carving when he was in jail.

It is one of China's intangible cultural heritages, and requires the sculptor to be not only skilled but also creative.

Zhou throws a little light on the reason why he was sentenced to prison.

"I was too young and met the wrong people at the wrong time," he said. "I made a mistake and paid for it."

Zhou was offered for adoption by his biological parents when he was very young. Fortunately, despite dire financial circumstances and his adoptive father's physical disability, his adoptive parents still gave him as much love as possible.

After adopting him, his adoptive parents gave birth to his younger brother.

"But my parents didn't ignore me (because of my younger brother.) Instead, they gave me more love than my brother," he said.

Zhou said the idea of opening the jade workshop came from something his father said to him in 2014.

During a prison visit, Zhou's dad said that if he could have had such a craft when he was young, maybe his life would not have been so tough.

Deeply touched by his father's words, Zhou started to think about it and the idea grew from there.

Soon after he was released, Zhou began to make plans for the workshop but many people at first questioned the idea.

"Some people thought I was asking for the moon," he said. "The best way to prove the idea was right was to really do it.

"In so many times, doing is more important than saying."

With the strong support from his parents and brother, Zhou's workshop was opened at the beginning of this year.

Now, apart from helping with his brother's company, Zhou devotes all his energy to the workshop.

"I have a friend who is hearing impaired. He's operating a painting studio and doing the same thing as me," Zhou said.

"He introduced me to some deaf-mute people who want to learn jade-carving."

Zhou treats his newly opened workshop like a newborn baby.

"In the initial stages, any disruption could affect its development," he said.

"If it only involves myself, I won't care too much about it. But what I fear most is that it will probably cause those who are ready to learn jade carving to lose the opportunity."

He believes that if the studio had been running stably for several years, he would have nothing to worry about. But in the initial stages, any disturbance could be fatal.

"I just want to do it quietly, not for fame or money."

Pieces of calligraphy, paintings and tea art decorate a quiet corner in his workshop, a place for him to escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

"Only by giving up competition for minor gains can a man find a place with no competitors in this world," Zhou said, recalling a line from his favorite proverb in the ancient Chinese book "Tao Te Ching."

When it comes to jade-carving, Zhou is full of enthusiasm. Prior to carving, the sculptor first inspects the jade, marking its blemishes and uniqueness.

"You can never find two pieces of identical jade," he said.

His newest masterpiece is a double-sided carving themed after the Chinese fable "Peach Blossom Spring."

With the qualities of the hard stone in mind, he then envisions a design that could emphasize and glorify its greenness while neutralizing the defects.

Peaches, cascades, pine trees, temples, and monks are depicted vividly on the surface, representing an ethereal utopia where people can lead an ideal existence in harmony with the world around them.

"I hope my audience can find peace from this work in their fast-paced lives," Zhou said when asked about the message he wanted to convey.

The finished piece has already been sold for 80,000 yuan (US$12,352), the raw jade itself costing about a quarter of that.

Zhou's workshop also displays the works of his students.

He said his job does not end by simply offering lessons. It is also to provide a platform for his students to sell their works and win a reputation in the field.