Preserving tradition: Artistry of woodcut New Year prints from Shandong's Guanxian

[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Woodcut New Year's prints are prime examples of traditional Chinese folk art, renowned for their distinctive ethnic style, unique expressions, and exquisite craftsmanship. These prints hold a significant place in Chinese folk art. The production of a New Year print involves four meticulous processes: original draft creation, plate making, carving, and printing.

The carving process demands patience and precision, employing dozens of knives and hundreds of techniques such as hairline, outlines, picking, filling, and scraping, each requiring specific tools.

In Huangzhaizi village, Shandong's Guanxian county, Guo Guiyang, a man in his fifties, has become the last guardian of the craft. He inherited the woodcut New Year's print carving skills from his ancestors, a tradition dating back over two hundred years to the mid-Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), now passed down to the eighth generation.

Under the guidance of his uncle, Guo spent decades studying, researching, and passing on the art of woodcutting. His works exhibit delicate knife work, smooth lines, and vivid character portrayals, which elevate folk woodcutting to unparalleled sophistication and mastery.

Guo's repertoire includes over 20 types of woodcut prints, featuring themes such as heaven and earth, deities, and Guangong, a hero during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). Originating and thriving in the folk domain, woodcut New Year prints have been cherished by the common people, with artists holding a deep affection for them.

As a torchbearer of woodcut New Year prints, Guo continues to wield his carving tools with determination, striving to create works beloved by the masses. (Edited by Xie Zhenzhen)