The iron-pen painting dates back to Western Han Dynasty, and it prospered in Eastern Han Dynasty. Until the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, the art began to spread among the people. The paintings began to export to South-east Asia, North America and West Europe starting in 1956.

What makes the painting unique is that iron is used to make the pen, while the fire used to be ink, painting on wooden board, Xuan paper and silk, boosting very high value of art appreciation and collection.

Lead by folk artist Liu Zhuhua and his followers, they formed a new genre with original content. Fewer people know this art now; even people in Hefei don’t know what it is about. From the 1990s on, this art fell into obscurity, facing the danger of failing to be handed down to new generations, and is badly in need of protection from our country.