MasterOfCrafts | Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures inheritor in north China's Tianjin-Xinhua

TIANJIN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures, which originated from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), have a history of over four centuries. The pictures are noted for their delicate engraving, fine patterns, vivid figures and elegant colors. The crafts were listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Tianjin Yangliuqing picture studio has been preserving and popularizing this folk art since its inauguration in 1958.

Xi Wang works on a woodblock type at the Tianjin Yangliuqing picture studio in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Xi Wang, a Tianjin native born in 1991, became a member of the studio upon his graduation from college in 2014, and dedicated himself as the youngest inheritor of the crafts at the studio. Fascinated by the woodblock new year pictures since childhood, he said the pictures convey the happiness of people during the lunar New Year.

Xi Wang poses for a photo with an ancient woodblock type at the Tianjin Yangliuqing picture studio in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Xi Wang watches new year pictures at the Tianjin Yangliuqing picture studio in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

The traditional crafts of Yangliuqing woodblock new year pictures include five steps, namely sketching, engraving, printing, painting, and mounting. As an engraver, Xi Wang learns the crafts from his mentor Wang Wenda, a national-level inheritor of Yangliuqing woodblock new year picture crafts. "Master Wang lets me know that I have to build a stable and persevere mind to make smooth and accurate engraving," said Xi.

Xi Wang searches for an ancient woodblock type at the Tianjin Yangliuqing picture studio in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Details in a woodblock type are seen under a magnifier at Wang Wenda's home in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

Xi Wang checks the details of a finished woodblock type at the Tianjin Yangliuqing picture studio in Tianjin, north China, Dec. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

Unlike wielding a painting brush, it is far harder to manipulate a sculpting knife to leave aesthetic patterns on a woodblock. Having done the work for about a decade, Xi deems it an art of time, adding that only consecutive work can keep his hands proficient. One of the accomplishments that Xi is proud of in 2023 is his successful duplication of six sets of ancient woodblocks passed down from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). He also works with his colleagues to develop cultural and creative products with elements of the new year pictures, attracting lots of youngsters.