Shandong pyrography brings wood to life

[Video by Meng Juan for chinadaily.com.cn]

Ningjin pyrography – which is a much treasured, traditional art form from Ningjin county, in East China's Shandong province – has been passed down for over a century, with it using an iron pen to burn patterns on wood, creating lifelike images of nature and culture.

The craft requires both immense skill and concentration. The artist must control the temperature of the iron pen, as well as the shape, speed and strength of the strokes, to produce a rich and layered textured rendering.

Bi Hongxia, the third-generation inheritor of Ningjin pyrography, has dedicated herself to innovating and promoting it. She's incorporated the local features of Ningjin and the elements that people appreciate in their daily lives into her works, which have won many national and provincial awards.

Watch this video to see the amazing pyrography of Ningjin. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)