Gongyi fosters cultural inheritance among youth

Gongyi, Henan province, has stepped up efforts to preserve and revitalize its intangible cultural heritage by bringing traditional crafts and folk arts, including wood carving, lion dance and white porcelain making, closer to younger generations. Located in the heartland of Heluo culture, an important component of Chinese civilization, the county-level city is promoting school programs, hands-on workshops and training courses in a bid to encourage young people to learn about and participate in its thousand-year-old traditions.

For Chen Tingang, 36, a provincial-level inheritor of Gongyi wood carving, keeping the craft alive means both preserving its distinctive character and adapting it to contemporary life.

Drawing inspiration from ancient buildings, cave dwellings, traditional motifs and historical relics in the region, Chen has incorporated local cultural elements into his carvings.

"We pursue perfection in every detail. Even a single carved flower requires our full attention," Chen said. "Our craftsmanship is understated and restrained, with an emphasis on precision."

Unlike wood carving in southern China, which often features more elaborate decoration, the tradition in Henan and other parts of the Central Plains emphasizes precision within a limited space, he said. Dragon and geometric line patterns frequently appear in his works, reflecting local aesthetics and cultural traditions.

"As a craftsman, I carve things that belong here, things passed down from generation to generation here," he said.

However, Chen insists that preserving inherited traditions does not mean simply reproducing old designs.

He has adapted traditional patterns to contemporary aesthetics and market demand while spending years introducing wood carving to local schools.

"For many young students, intangible cultural heritage once seemed far away and abstract — something they only read about in textbooks, but never got to experience in real life," he said.

Chen has since developed interactive courses combining wood carving with other subjects, allowing students to experience the craft firsthand. Similar efforts are being made to preserve the Xiaoxiang Lion Dance, a national-level intangible cultural heritage item.

Wang Ke, an official responsible for intangible cultural heritage at the Gongyi bureau of culture, radio, television, tourism and sports, said recruitment and professional training programs have been launched across the city to attract young enthusiasts.

During school holidays, dozens of children arrive at the training base as early as 5 am for intensive practice, with training sessions held in both the morning and evening, Wang said.

The programs not only pass on lion-dance techniques but also help young participants develop perseverance through sustained training, she added.

Gongyi is also known for its historic kilns and its role in the development of white porcelain and Tang Dynasty (618-907) tri-color glazed ceramics. Han Hongli, a representative inheritor of Gongyi white porcelain, said the long training period, high initial costs and slow financial returns have made it difficult to attract young people to the craft.

To help revive the tradition, Han visited major porcelain-producing areas across China, including Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, to trace the development and spread of Gongyi kiln techniques. He has worked to recover lost vessel forms and firing methods and preserve traditional glaze recipes.

Han also established a Heluo culture handicraft study base, where traditional porcelain-making is combined with cultural study programs. Works inspired by the imperial mausoleums of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) in Gongyi have also been incorporated into study-tour activities.

At the base, handicraft teacher Kang Kexin uses hands-on claymaking activities instead of conventional lectures to introduce students and visitors to Gongyi kiln culture.

For many participants, the classes provide their first direct encounter with Gongyi white porcelain and Tang tri-color pottery, Kang said.

Contact the writers at qixin@chinadaily.com.cn