What is China's New Year picture?

China folk New Year pictures and door gods are commonly known as "happy pictures". In the past, it was popular to put up New Year pictures indoors and door gods at home to wish a happy New Year and drive away evil spirits. At the end of each year, every household in urban and rural areas posts New Year pictures, door gods and couplets, which are brand-new and add festive atmosphere to the festival. This custom is still popular in rural areas of China.

In the history of China, the woodblock New Year pictures of Mianzhu in Sichuan, Yangliuqing in Tianjin, Weifang in Shandong and Taohuawu in Jiangsu are the most famous, and they are known as the "Four Great New Year Pictures" in China.

Mianzhu New Year Pictures, named after Mianzhu County, Sichuan Province, is the hometown of bamboo and paper. Mianzhu New Year pictures are different from other New Year pictures because of their colorful paintings, which have strong national characteristics and distinctive local characteristics. It originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and entered a prosperous period in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. During the reign of Qianlong and Jiaqing in Qing Dynasty, there were more than 300 New Year pictures workshops in Mianzhu. Products are sold to Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and other places, but also exported to India, Japan, Hong Kong and Macao and other countries and regions. The composition of Mianzhu New Year pictures emphasizes symmetry, integrity, balance, fullness and clear priorities. The contrast method is used in color, and the color is simple, gorgeous and strong, which constitutes a bright red and warm artistic effect; The lines pay attention to the combination of rigidity and softness, and the washing and training are smooth, dense and rhythmic; Exaggerated, deformed, symbolic and moral shapes have humorous and lively effects.

Taohuawu New Year Pictures in Suzhou Taohuawu is located in the north of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Taohuawu New Year Pictures originated from engraving printing technology in Song Dynasty, evolved from Xiu Xiang New Year Pictures, and developed into a folk art school in Ming Dynasty, which flourished during Yongzheng and Qianlong periods in Qing Dynasty. Taohuawu New Year pictures are printed with coloring and color overprinting, with symmetrical and full composition, exquisite line carving and gorgeous colors. It is called "Gusu Edition" by folk painting circles.

Tianjin Yangliuqing New Year Pictures Yangliuqing is located 20 kilometers west of Tianjin. Its woodblock New Year pictures began in Chongzhen of Ming Dynasty, and were the most popular in Yongzheng, Qianlong and Guangxu of Qing Dynasty. Dozens of villages around Yangliuqing also draw New Year pictures. The characteristics of Yangliuqing New Year pictures are: the combination of woodcut watermark and hand-drawing retains the techniques of folk painting and is influenced by the Qing Dynasty Painting Academy; Most of them are based on old dramas, beautiful women and fat babies. Full composition, neat lines, bright colors, full face powder and gold, rich decoration.

Weifang Yangjiabu New Year Pictures Yangjiabu woodblock New Year Pictures were founded in the late Ming Dynasty, all by hand and made in the traditional way. Influenced by Yangliuqing New Year pictures in the early days, it reached its peak in Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty and was popular in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Yangjiabu New Year pictures have a wide range of genres, rich imagination, reuse of primary colors, rough lines and simple style.