By Jin Lu

At dawn in the old town of Zhaobaoshan, the lights of a small tailor shop flicker on. Inside, the rhythmic ka-tak of a sewing machine blends with the quiet morning.

71-year-old He Xingyue moves with the practiced ease of more than five decades behind the sewing table, measuring, marking, and cutting fabric.

A few neighbors chat nearby. He joins in occasionally, his hands never stopping. Within an hour, a finished garment takes shape.

"Master He's work is flawless — precise cuts, perfect fit. I've been coming here for more than ten years," said a longtime customer.

Another customer, a young man, holds up a photo of a trendy jacket. The old tailer peers over his glasses, studies the fabric, and smiles: "No problem. I can make one that's even better."

He's craftsmanship has been honed for more than half a century. "You need a calm mind and a steady hand," he said, his eyes bright. "Miss by a centimeter, and the whole piece is ruined."

Born in Guisi, a rural part of Zhenhai, in the 1950s, He was a slight boy whose mother feared farm work would be too demanding. At 19, he apprenticed with a local tailor. An early mishap — accidentally cutting into a customer's corduroy — drove home the importance of precision. He scoured the market that night to replace the fabric. Since then, he has worked with an unwavering commitment to precision, determined never to repeat such an error.

His reputation grew in an era when tailoring was largely women's work. He joined a garment factory, sewing by day and taking private orders by night. There he met his wife, Qiu Xiue. In 1999, the couple opened their own shop in Zhaobaoshan.

Ready-to-wear stores and online shopping have transformed the clothing market, but He has stayed true to his calling. "Our daughter tells us to retire, but my customers trust me," he said. "I can't sit idle."

Asked about the future, He grinned: "I want to keep sewing for as long as I can." For him, it's more than a job; it's a lifelong dedication to his craft.