Henan Intangible Heritage Inheritor Creates New Year Paintings to Support “Epidemic Battle”

Henan Intangible Heritage Inheritor Creates New Year Paintings to Support “Epidemic Battle”

“弃疾”“去病”斗疫情！河南非遗传承人创作战“疫”年画为抗击疫情加油鼓劲

On February 7, Zhang Jizhong, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage of Zhuxianzhen-styled wood engravings in China, created his special New Year paintings themed “Epidemic Battle” as a support against the novel coronavirus epidemic. The paintings include the door gods such as Xin Qiji and Huo Qubing and Fire God and Thunder God, and Vases Holding by Figurines…

《辛弃疾和霍去病》《火神与雷神》门神，年画《抱花瓶》……2月7日，中国朱仙镇木版年画传承人张继中，用“非物质文化遗产”年画形式，推出了有情感温度的战“疫”作品，为抗击疫情加油鼓劲。

Special New Year paintings themed “Epidemic Battle” created by Zhang Jizhong. [Photo provided to Henan Daily]

Zhang Jizhong has been staying at home since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus epidemic. As was deeply moved by the whole nation’s united and determined efforts fighting against the epidemic, he created the new-styled New Year paintings themed “Epidemic battle” as his special way of support.

疫情爆发后，一直“宅”在家中的张继中，为全国人民齐心协力抗击疫情的打动，夜不能寝，决心用要创作创新防疫年画作品，用非遗文化力量助力打赢疫情防控阻击战。

Elaborate designing helps Zhang Jizhong to quickly create a series of works themed “Epidemic Battle” in a traditional and vivid manner, including door gods such as Xin Qiji and Huo Qubing and Fire God and Thunder God, and New Year paintings like Vases Holding by Figurines.

经过精心的构思，张继中很快就创作出了既有传统文化内涵，又生动接地气的门神《辛弃疾霍去病》《火神与雷神》和年画《抱花瓶》等一组“防疫年画”作品。

Special New Year paintings themed “Epidemic Battle” created by Zhang Jizhong. [Photo provided to Henan Daily]

According to Zhang Jizhong, Xin Qiji and Huo Qubing, presenting as the form of Zhuxianzhen-styled wood engravings featured by symmetrical designs and shapes, demonstrates the culture connotation embedded in the traditional Chinese New Year paintings, in which “Qiji” and “Qubing” means “to eliminate diseases” in Chinese. The Fire God and Thunder God emerged from traditional Chinese mythology, in which “fire” and “thunder” are not only homophones for Huoshenshan (Fire God Mountain) and Leishenshan (Thunder God Mountain), but also symbols of the thermal energy that can eliminate the novel coronavirus. The Vases Holding by Figurines, one of the traditional wood engravings at Zhuxian town, Kaifeng city, symbolizes New Year’s happiness, and the wishes printed on the vast – “May China and Wuhan Peaceful” – express the nation’s confidence and capability to win this battle against NCP.

张继中介绍，门神《辛弃疾霍去病》以朱仙镇木版年画门神画对称构图与造型的艺术呈现形式，以“弃疾”“去病”寓意消灾化吉、除疫斩魔，展现中国传统年画的文化内涵；门神《火神与雷神》属于中国传统神话年画范畴，火与雷是热能量的象征，是冠状病毒的克星，也是取火神山与雷神山的谐音；《抱花瓶》是朱仙镇木版传统年画作品，寓意新年平安吉祥，花瓶上的文字“中国平安武汉平安”传递了全国人民坚定打赢疫情防控阻击战的信心。

Special New Year paintings themed “Epidemic Battle” created by Zhang Jizhong. [Photo provided to Henan Daily]

Zhang Jizhong remarks, “The New Year paintings, as a treasure of traditional Chinese culture, especially embody the spirit of the Chinese nation. I hope these new-styled works can urge us to win this battle against NCP with united and determined efforts as soon as possible!”

“年画是中国传统文化的瑰宝，更是国人的精神希冀。希望这组创新年画能为抗击疫情鼓劲加油，激励大家团结一致，众志成城，早日打赢这场人民抗疫战争！”张继中说。（记者 龚砚庆 张笑闻 通讯员 赵儒学 编译 赵汉青 审校 焦丹）