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| Chinese New Year Picture |
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The expression explains itself. The Chinese people have the custom
of sticking up pictures to celebrate the traditional New Year--now
called the Spring Festival. This was recorded in historical works
of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The custom is particularly popular
in the vast countryside, where just before the festival day every
household will be busy spring cleaning and pasting colourful pictures
or paper cuttings on their doors, windows, walls, even wardrobes
and stoves.
Traditional New Year pictures, usually made by the block printing
method, are characterized by simple, clear lines, brilliant colours
and scenes of prosperity. The method consists of several steps:
drawing and tracing, block engraving, printing, colouring and,
in some cases, mounting. The finished pictures, therefore, have
the features of both woodcut prints and Chinese paintings, making
a special branch in traditional folk art.
The themes expressed in New Year pictures cover a wide range,
from plump babies holding a fish to the Old God of Longevity,
from landscapes to birds and flowers, from the ploughing cattle
in spring to rich harvests in autumn. Human figures often show
artistic exaggeration, but the message in all pictures is always
good luck , festivity or other nice things in the wish of the
people. Usual objects in the pictures include the crane or the
peach which symbolizes a long life, the plum or peony which is
a mark of good fortune and happiness. The colours most favoured
are red, green, purple, yellow and black-which are not only bright
but contrast well with one another-intended to give fresh, vivid,
pleasant and inspiring impressions.
To meet the specific needs of the vast rural population, New
Year pictures are produced in all regions in China with different
local characteristics. But the leading producers are at three
localities: Yangliuqing Village near Tianjin, Taohuawu near Suzhou
and Weifang in Shandong.
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