In Shandong, art of gourd pyrography finds new life online

Gourds are prized for their symbolic meaning of prosperity and wealth and gourd pyrography, which decorates them by burning a graphic design onto their surface, is flourishing in Linshu county – in Linyi city in East China's Shandong province.

With this craft, the gourd is likened to a canvas, while the pyrography iron acts as a pen, creating a rich and diverse world within a small space.

Cao Yan is the representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of gourd pyrography in Linshu county. When visitors come to her home, they see a plethora of handicrafts of all shapes and sizes created by her. Selecting the materials is the paramount task in creating gourd pyrography artworks, Cao said. She then carefully picks a design that fits the gourd's shape and size before outlining it with a pencil and tracing it with an electric pyrography iron. Finally, shading is applied to the surface with a blending pen.

Cao Yan demonstrates the creative process of gourd pyrography at her studio. [Photo by Chen Feng for chinadaily.com.cn]

Cao has been practicing the exacting craft for over eight years and now she's excellent at creating various subjects such as landscapes, flowers and birds, plants and insects and mythical figures.

What's more, her talent is not limited by size. She can create great designs on small or larger gourds, ranging from 5 centimeters to 70 cm.

Cao's gourd pyrography pieces are proving to be a big hit with online buyers. She said she's motivated to continue pursuing her love of the art of gourd pyrography and inspiring others to join in preserving this traditional craft for generations to come. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)