Our Story
Realism isn’t just about accuracy...
Presence is something you recognize instantly.
The soft pause when you walk by.
An unexpected smile.
The warmth of something that feels familiar.
That's the spirit behind every SOREAL statue.
"The eyes are the most important part of an animal statue. It's what makes a statue come to life."
- Frank Cheng CEO of Hi-Line Gift Ltd.
The Legend...
Long ago there lived a painter named Zhang Sengyou of the Liang Dynasty. He was known by his immaculate paintings of dragons that were painted on the temple walls. However, there was one small difference that made his art differ from everyone else's, he would never paint the pupil of the eyes. When he was asked why he did this, he replied that if he painted the eyes, the dragons would
come alive and fly away. One day, he was forced to add the eyes to two of his painted dragons. As suspected, the dragons came out of the wall and came to life. They flew high into the stormy sky, engulfing themselves in the thunderous lightning, leaving the artist and all the other eyeless dragons behind. ​​​
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"This story is all about the importance of a finishing touch. A final sentence of inspiration that makes a speech powerful. Or a shift in ones voice that ties together a beautiful song. Huà Lóng DiÇŽn JÄ«ng is an old Chinese saying that means "Draw the Dragon, Dot the Eyes". A crucial finishing touch is something I deeply believe in, after all, that's what makes SOREAL different from anything else we've created.
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The Meaning
I came up with the idea of SOREAL back in 2025. I wanted a product line that was different from our other statues, but I knew going into it all stars would have to align. I wanted to create something life-like but not uncanny, something that's familiar yet surprising, mesmerizing but strikingly true to nature.
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We as humans have been creating statues for over 35,000 years. Long ago they were for rituals or political reasons. Nowadays it's almost solely used for decor. It's in our bones to create and express. Our goal is to create a standard; when folks see a statue, they think of SOREAL. It's lifegiving to know how much our decor can change a space, and make people feel close to animals and nature. Another mission we have is to create memorials for peoples pets. Whether a dog, cat or bird; nothing can replace the imprints our pets leave on our hearts, but honoring their memory is a wonderful step into healing.
​My family and I have been creating and distributing animal figurines for over 30 years. It's an honor to know that the SOREAL line will be the highest quality of craftmanship yet. It wasn't always easy to make this happen. No idea comes without trial and error, but if you have to have the commitment, dedication and patience, you're more than half way there! So by juggling an incredible team of sculptors, artisans, painters, artists, molders all the way to packagers, it's safe to say that the stars have all aligned."
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- Frank Cheng