The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently inscribed “Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was made at the 19th regular session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO held in Asuncion, Paraguay on Dec. 4.
This is the 44th ICH item in China recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. And the social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the Spring Festival involve, among others, craftsmanship and artistic skills such as Suzhou’s Taohuawu New Year woodblock painting.
Taohuawu New Year woodblock painting has a history of more than 400 years, originating in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and flourishing during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1722-1735) and Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796) of the Qing Dynasty. Most of the New Year paintings were made and sold at Suzhou’s Taohuawu area. Hence the name “Taohuawu New Year woodblock painting”. It is one of the five major New Year woodblock paintings in China, equally famous with Tianjin’s Yangliuqing New Year painting.
In 2006, Taohuawu New Year woodblock painting was included in China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
