After 20 years in the field, Xu believes not everyone is suited to the work.

"It's not about skill," he said. "It's about what's in your heart."

Awards no longer concern him. What matters is the moment when a family looks at a design and says, "I never imagined it could be like this."

That, he believes, is enough.

He no longer cares about leaving his own name behind. If anything is to endure, he believes, it should be the lives of ordinary people — each one carrying its own quiet significance.

Liu Kun contributed to this story.