Old New Year’s traditions explored in new children’s book

A page from Yu's book.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Yu's drawings revive the capital's old look: the city wall, gate towers and many fading trades such as puppet shows and a knife-sharpening stall.

Although the festival in Beijing is not as lively as it used to be, Yu believes the holiday's core concept hasn't change: "Family reunions and the earnest hope for a better life in the coming year remain the same."

Illustrating the book took Yu half a year, but the collection of materials began much earlier.

"I like roaming in the hutong in Beijing, and drawing some sketches or taking photos when I come upon beautiful scenes," says Yu, who grew up in a hutong near one of the city's northern gates, Andingmen.

Yu learned traditional Chinese painting as a child, and became a painter and editor for children's book at People's Fine Arts Publishing House in 1978.

As an old Beijinger, his favorite theme is the city's culture. He published another picture book, Beijing－the City on the Central Axis, in 2012, in which Yu drew the city from a bird's-eye view from the south to the north, from spring to winter, and from ancient to modern times.

For his next book, Yu plans to paint hutong, the intricate small alleys that once sprawled in the city's downtown area. Many have been demolished due to urbanization and the city's renovation program.

"It's inevitable that some traditional things disappear as time passes," says Yu. "It's my pleasure to pass on the culture to future generations with my brush."