Listed as one of the “Three Treasures” of fine folk arts in the Liangping County, Liangping New Year posters are praised for their vibrant and festive style. Liangping is a culturally diverse County situated in Chongqing.
Sichuan Chuan-style carvings are used to cave amazing designs and exaggerated patterns into the woodblocks. As a type of watermark New Year woodprint, many different coloured wood blocks are used to create joyous and festive prints. Along with these two famous techniques, Liangping New Year posters also incorporate the engraving and chromatography skills of the Hui and Jinling styles. Many posters also feature elements of scenography from western paintings.
There are three types of New Year woodprints in which Liangping craftsmen specialize in. Categorized by their subject, they fall into the styles of door gods, myths and legends and opera stories. Door gods were the first images to be used for New Year posters. The fierce male gods are believed to ward off evil spirits. They were posted on the doors and windows within Chinese villages in ancient times. Posters featuring images from traditional myths and legends are popular motifs of modern times.
Legendary characters and scenes from ancient folk tales are brought to life through striking designs and bright colours. Scenes from famous and much loved Chinese opera stories are also a popular subject for modern New Year posters. The exquisite costumes and powerful facial features of the opera characters are emphasized through contrasting colours and the noticeable exaggerations of the face.
Liangping New Year posters have enjoyed a thriving history of over three hundred years. They started to be exported to other Southeastern Asian countries during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Since the 1930’s, many popular posters have been exhibited in countries such as America and France.
Today, there are few craftsmen left in Liangping who can create the famous ancient New Year woodprint. Initiatives need to be established for the younger generation to continue the legacy of the important traditional folk art.
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