Exhibition Online: 綿竹木板年畫 Mianzhu New Year Woodblock Prints

About the Exhibition

Chinese New Year prints (known as Nianhua (年畫)) are a popular folk art for many years. They are a type of woodblock prints dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) and began to boom in the latter part of the Ming Dynasty (1386 to 1644). In celebrating Lunar New Year, people post nianhua on walls and doors in their homes to pray for good luck and fortune.

Nianhua is known for its bright colors, majestic motifs and common patterns. Many of the artworks feature the door and kitchen gods. The door god is believed to keep evil from entering a home. The kitchen god symbolises harvest and happiness. Other themes of nianhua include fictitious characters from historical stories, myths and tales, chubby toddlers and beauties.

In China, Sichuan Mianzhu is one of the “Four Master Towns of New Year Prints”. Mianzhu’s printmakers apply the colors and finishing details of a print by hand with a brush. In 2006, Mianzhu nianhua is officially included on China’s “First list of Intangible Cultural Heritage” issued by the State Council. 

This exhibition displays this traditional folk art collected by the University Library from the most representative inheritors of Sichuan Mianzhu Northern School. Visitors can learn about this intangible cultural heritage and attract positive energy in the coming year!

年畫作為中國民間傳統藝術由來已久, 木刻年畫歷史可追溯至西漢, 明朝晚期更是年畫發展的輝煌時期. 每逢農曆新年，家家在門戶上張貼年畫, 用於保平安求富貴。

年畫具有色彩艷麗，吉祥物誇張和 圖案類似的特點。年畫題材大多為門神和灶神。 門神護衛家宅, 灶神代表豐盛. 其他題材包括小說戲曲, 神話傳說的人物形象, 可愛的兒童和仕女。

綿竹年畫是中國 ”年畫四大家之一”, 其藝術風格是木刻線色只是起輪廓作用, 并不套色, 最後完成全部靠手工彩繪。2006年, 經過國務院批准, 綿竹年畫入選首批中國非物質文化遺產。

是次展覽展示大學圖書館館藏綿竹年畫北派傳承人的作品, 觀眾既可認識這類非物質文化遺產, 也可為新一年帶來正能量！