Woodblock prints add to holiday's traditional flavor

As Wen Li attached her handmade Liangping woodblock print featuring door gods — an item of national intangible cultural heritage — to her front door, she knew this Spring Festival would be unforgettable for her family.

Wen, 32, from Yihe, a village in Panlong township of Liangping district, Chongqing, recently took part in a celebration activity in the district, for which she had personally crafted a woodblock print.

"When every household in our village hangs up traditional well-wishing Chinese couplets and woodblock prints on their doors, I can feel that the New Year is in the air," she said.

According to the local cultural and tourism commission, over 50,000 copies of woodblock prints and couplets were distributed in 33 townships in Liangping at themed events.

The local government has also collaborated with multiple platforms to enhance the festive atmosphere, with the prints being offered as gifts at several local shopping malls.

On Jan 10, over 1,000 students completed a massive Liangping woodblock New Year painting spanning approximately 1,000 square meters on the playground of Chongqing Liangping Vocational Education Center.

Under the guidance of Xu Jiahui, a national inheritor of Liangping woodblock New Year painting, the students completed the art work, titled Generals as Door Gods.

Woodblock paintings have been well received in many places. From January to February, Liangping woodblock New Year painting exhibitions are taking place in multiple districts of the municipality, as well as in Xiong'an New Area and Handan in Hebei province. In Beijing, the paintings are currently being exhibited at the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, local authorities said.

The custom of New Year paintings is one of the important traditional activities to celebrate Spring Festival.

Woodblock printing was invented in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). As this art form developed and became more and more popular among Chinese people, its content and functions also increased.

On Dec 4, the Spring Festival and the social practices associated with the celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year, were added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Liangping woodblock New Year paintings played a role in the application process, local authorities said.

In May 2006, the art form of Liangping woodblock New Year painting was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage items.

"I believe our intangible cultural heritage should be presented in its good old traditional form," said Xu, who is 59, and has dedicated 48 years to studying the craft.

Situated in northeastern Chongqing, Liangping is renowned for its rich intangible cultural heritage, boasting five national-level, 26 municipal-level, and 124 county-level items.

Recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for its unique Spring Festival customs, folk culture and art heritage, Liangping is particularly celebrated for its woodblock New Year paintings and bamboo curtains, both of which hold national geographical indication trademarks.

Building on this cultural legacy, the district has established five primary and secondary schools dedicated to preserving traditional Chinese culture and art. Additionally, it has developed 13 city-level experimental bases for intangible heritage inheritance, and offered over 120 special interest classes, engaging more than 10,000 students in the vibrant traditions of Liangping.