To start his work, Yu collected chopsticks and any other small sticks from dustbins nearby and washed them clean. He also prepared other materials like marble to make his artwork more realistic.

In 2005, Yu finished his first miniature landscape of the Grand View Garden, which is delicately engraved and vivid. Since then Yu has created more miniatures, such as the Great Wall and Temple of Heaven in Beijing, water towns in South China and three representative gate towers from Anshan city.