Inheritance of joy and centuries-old craft
Updated: 2016-02-23 07:49
By Liu Xiangrui(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
Guo shows one of the traditional New Year pictures. [Photo by Liu Xiangrui/China Daily] |
The 91-year-old man has witnessed both the glorious days and the challenges faced in the modern times by the prints that once defined the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Starting in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), making and putting up such handmade pictures used to be an essential part of the Spring Festival celebrations. But with rapid changes in China in the past few decades, the tradition had gradually faded until recent attempts were made to revive it. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2007.
Chinese tech giant Alibaba recently launched a crowdfunding project to help people inherit and promote such old crafts. Through it, craftsmen like Guo create works based on new designs, incorporating popular elements. When photos of the Spring Festival prints were uploaded online in January, they drew huge public interest.
So far, funds for woodblock printing have surpassed 50,000 yuan ($7,700). And the sponsors get benefits according to the donations they make, including pictures by Guo.
"I am so glad that it is catching public attention again," Guo says of the woodblock printing that is a cultural signature of Kaifeng, a city in Central China's Henan province.
Born to a poor family, Guo, who didn't go to school, joined a shop in Kaifeng that sold the prints as an apprentice at age 13, after his father died.
"I didn't starve and expected to make a living from it later," he says.
- The world in photos: Feb 15 - 21
- China Daily weekly pictures: Feb 13-19
- Lantern Festival in the Chinese paintings
- Meet Melanie, the real-life mermaid
- Samsung unveils new products at mobile conference in Spain
- 88th Academy Awards Governors Ball Press Preview
- Chinese photographers' work shines in major photo contest
- Egg carving master challenges Guinness World Record
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
8 highlights about V-day Parade |
Glimpses of Tibet: Plateaus, people and faith |
Chinese entrepreneurs remain optimistic despite economic downfall |
50th anniversary of Tibet autonomous region |
Tianjin explosions: Deaths, destruction and bravery |
Cinemas enjoy strong first half |
Today's Top News
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
Accentuate the positive in Sino-US relations
Dangerous games on peninsula will have no winner
National Art Museum showing 400 puppets in new exhibition
Finest Chinese porcelains expected to fetch over $28 million
Monkey portraits by Chinese ink painting masters
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |