One layer at a time

But attracting learners is easier than keeping them. Like many traditional crafts, woodblock printing faces a difficult economic equation. The craft demands years of training, while the financial rewards do not always match the investment. That is where the romantic ideal of craftsmanship meets the realities of life.

Luckily, interest remains. "Rongbaozhai has introduced educational programs and hands-on experiences that allow visitors to try simplified versions of woodblock printing. We also support younger artists, rather than simply looking backward at established masters," says Bao Yan, general manager of the studio.

This raises a broader question: how can a centuries-old brand remain connected to the artistic life of its own time?

People learning woodblock printing today have grown up surrounded by digital images, modern printing, and the constant change of visual culture. "There is no single 'biggest challenge' ahead. The challenge keeps changing. Today's painting becomes tomorrow's problem to solve, and tomorrow brings another artist, style and visual language," Li says.

Perhaps that is why the technique has survived. It has never really been about making the same thing over and over. It is about looking at something created by another person — sometimes hundreds of years ago — and asking a remarkably ambitious question: can we make it live again, by hand?

Li Ren contributed to this story.