Huaxian Woodblock New Year Prints

Han Jianfeng is a native of Huaxian County, Henan Province. He is a representative inheritor of the fourth batch of China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage project—Woodblock New Year Prints (Huaxian Woodblock New Year Prints). Born into a family with a long tradition of New Year print-making, he learned the craft from his elders from an early age. In 1976, he began creating simple New Year print works. Starting in 1994, he visited numerous veteran New Year print artisans in surrounding areas and engaged in extensive exchanges and learning in other renowned New Year print production regions. After years of dedicated effort, he systematically researched and restored the nearly lost techniques of Lifangtun New Year prints, reviving their original production process and methods. His works adhere to the “half-printing, half-painting” technique, employing methods such as dyeing, rinsing, coloring, and dotting, along with vibrant hues like bright red, yellow, and green. This approach highlights the distinctive characteristics of “light strokes and bold colors, with clear lines and vivid hues.” The style of his works is vigorous and expansive, bold and unrestrained, yet simple and dignified.