Meet 'Guardian of craft' Man Changqun

Master Man Changqun crafts woodblock-printed New Year prints. [Photo by Wang Bin, Fu Jinyan and Xu Yanlin for chinadaily.com.cn]

Woodblock-printed New Year prints have a storied history in China spanning over 1,000 years. In Linqing, a county-level city administered by Liaocheng in East China's Shandong province, 75-year-old Man Changqun has dedicated over half a century to creating these paintings, managing every aspect from carving to printing by himself. His busiest time is the month before the Chinese New Year, during which he crafts paintings featuring the Kitchen God, the God of Wealth and more. These artworks were once eagerly sought after by locals celebrating the New Year.

Despite tremendous societal changes and technological advancements, Man Changqun remains resolute in his dedication to preserving the traditional techniques of these paintings and ensuring their continued development. (Edited by Du Xiaping)