Huo Qingyou, a woodcut new year picture artist, produces a wooden type in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012. In Yangliuqing, dubbed "the hometown of Chinese woodcut new year pictures", Huo Qingyou is the only one who still masters the whole set of techniques needed to make new year pictures: drawing rough sketches, carving woodcut types, making ink rubbings with a brush from the types, adding color to the ink rubbings, and mounting the finished pictures. The art form, which originated in the 17th century, has been listed as one of China's National Intangible Cultural Heritages in 2006.

Huo Qingyou, a woodcut new year picture artist, produces a wooden type in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012.

 

 

Huo Qingyou, a woodcut new year picture artist, produces a wooden type in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012.

 

 

An apprentice of Huo Qingyou, a woodcut new year picture artist, adds colour to ink rubbings in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012.

 

 

An apprentice of Huo Qingyou, a woodcut new year picture artist, adds color to ink rubbings in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012.

 

 

Huo Qingyou (L), a woodcut new year picture artist, introduces his works to a visitor in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012.

 

 

Huo Qingyou, a woodcut new year picture artist, takes out a wooden type to make ink rubbings in Yangliuqing town, North China's Tianjin Municipality, December 28, 2012.