Handmade bricks a crumbling craft

An old man makes a brick in Pucheng, Northwest China's Shaanxi province on July 25, 2012. [Photo/CFP]

Making brick by hand is an old craft under threat from modern machinery.

Strongly linked to seasons in China from spring to September in the Lunar calendar, with work stopping in the rainy season.

Making clay bricks is a complicated process including many steps that needs experienced people.

Handmade grey bricks and tiles have a tolerance for the cold, last long and the good colour offers a sense of ancient architecture, but the high-speed of bricks produced by machines is a threat to this ancient craft.