Artist dedicated to preserving, promoting wood carving

Editor's Note:

The Yellow River runs through nine cities in East China's Shandong province and flows into the sea, bringing vitality and prosperity to the land. Along its banks, numerous intangible cultural heritage projects have been created and inherited, reflecting the colorful scenery, brilliant culture and rich diversity of Shandong. Shandong is a province with a long history and a splendid civilization. It boasts 186 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, ranking it second in the country. Moreover, eight projects have been inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, according to the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Join me on a journey in Meeting the Sea Along the Yellow River in Shandong, to discover the treasures of intangible cultural heritage there and appreciate the charms of this ancient and modern land.

Wang Chuancheng, the eighth-generation inheritor of Yanggu wood carving, has dedicated his life to this art form from Yanggu county – administered by the prefecture-level city of Liaocheng, in East China's Shandong province.

Born into a family with rich wood carving traditions, Wang has created over 1,000 special individual works, enriching this provincial intangible cultural heritage.

Wang believes that wood carving is not only about skill but also about cultural knowledge. He incorporates traditional design motifs into his works, creating "Confucian art wood carvings" that depict various schools of thought and virtuous figures from history.

His carvings often feature plums, orchids, bamboos and chrysanthemums.

An exquisite example of Wang Chuancheng's wood carving work. [Photo by Wang Qi and Ma Jingchao for chinadaily.com.cn]

Wang's motto is to rely on creativity to create lifelike characters and beautiful landscapes. He avoids carving bizarre figures and instead focuses on sages and models of virtue, using his art to promote positive energy and values.

In addition to his normal work, Wang has also explored wood carving furniture and woodblock printing. His creations showcase distinctive cultural and artistic features, that not only demonstrate exquisite craftsmanship but also spread Chinese culture.

Wang's dedication and innovation in preserving and promoting this heritage is widely said to have helped contribute to the dissemination of Chinese culture and its artistic traditions. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)