Bookplates turn a new page at a Tianjin museum

The print art of ex-libris - bookplates that express ownership or one's passion for reading and books - is somewhat niche, and to possess ex-libris represents the owner's high taste.

Some people in some of China's metropolitan cities may have never heard about the art form. But in Hangu, a suburb of Tianjin, ex-libris is known in practically every household. In particular, it is popular among the younger generation.

This is thanks to Liu Shuohai, a 64-year-old local woodblock-print artisan and the founder of China's first ex-libris museum, the Shuohai International Ex-Libris (Graphic) Arts Collection Museum in Hangu.