AsiaNet 200567

TIANJIN, China, Nov. 26, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--Recently, the Publicity Department of Xiqing District organized a tour, guiding children from a kindergarten in Yangliuqing Town, Xiqing District, north China's Tianjin Municipality, to enjoy an impressive local cultural experience.

They visited the Yuchenghao Painting Studio in Yangliuqing Ancient Town, where Huo Qingshun, a national-level intangible cultural heritage representative of Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings, introduced the history of the craft and taught them to experience the traditional Chinese culture.

Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings were included in the first batch of representative intangible cultural heritage projects by the Chinese government in 2006. Originating from the ancient town of Yangliuqing, these woodblock New Year paintings have a history of over 400 years, flourishing during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The period from the reign of Emperor Qianlong to Jiaqing witnessed the golden age of Yangliuqing New Year paintings. As early as the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Yangliuqing Town had already become an important production center for woodblock New Year paintings in China, earning the reputation of a "land of painting where every household excels in tinting and painting."

Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings cover a wide range of themes, including mythical stories, historical allusions, novels and legends, ancient women and children, characters from operas, ancestral gods, auspicious patterns, wealth-seeking patterns, antique flowers and plants, seasonal patterns, historical paintings, lantern paintings, and kite paper, among others.

The production of Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings combines woodblock printing with hand-painted techniques and mainly involves five major processes: sketching, carving, printing, tinting, and mounting.

Caption: Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings impress children with time-honored cultural charm.

Source: The Publicity Department of Xiqing District