Yangliuqing new 12 months prints combine Tianjin’s ‘Hehe’ tradition into centuries-old artwork

(ECNS) — Within the historic city of Yangliuqing in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, an image by which a chubby baby cradling a lotus and an enormous fish usually catches guests’ eyes. This iconic picture, from the traditional Yangliuqing New Yr print “Lotus Brings Abundance Yr after Yr,” which embodies needs for prosperity and household reunion, has remained a beloved favourite for generations.

Formed by the Grand Canal’s function as a north–south artery, Yangliuqing woodblock New Yr prints mix the refinement of courtroom portray, the class of literati artwork and the colourful festivity of people traditions. Listed as a nationwide intangible cultural heritage, the craft’s distinctive “half-print, half-paint” approach combines meticulous woodblock carving with hand coloring — a vivid expression of the Chinese language idea of “hehe,” or concord and unity.

Yangliuqing woodblock New Yr work originated within the Ming Dynasty and boast a historical past of greater than 400 years.

“At its peak, Yangliuqing hosted greater than 300 workshops and over 3,000 individuals engaged within the commerce,” mentioned Huo Qingshun, a national-level heir of the craft and sixth-generation head of Yuchenghao, a century-old print studio. The household custom has now handed to the seventh technology, who’s incorporating modern design to convey the prints into each day life. From evening lamps and multi-color stamp units to artistic packaging, conventional motifs are being reimagined for contemporary use.

Throughout Tianjin, Yangliuqing prints are discovering their method into college lecture rooms, digital design labs, and cultural markets, drawing curiosity from younger individuals. “For intangible cultural heritage to thrive, it have to be seen, skilled, and embraced,” mentioned Zhang Hong, the seventh-generation successor of Yuchenghao.

From the cultural confluence of the Grand Canal to the steadiness of energy and delicacy in its craft, Yangliuqing New Yr prints replicate Tianjin’s openness and inclusiveness, whereas providing a window into the Chinese language ethos of harmonious coexistence.

(By Liu Yue, Evelyn Zhao, Chen Tianhao, Lin Mengnan)