Wheat-straw Painting Craft Lives on in Henan

Hu Kerong creates art with wheat straw in Zhengzhou, Henan province. [Photo by Tie Ran/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Hu Kerong, 20, a junior student at Sias University in Zhengzhou, Henan province, is determined to inherit the technique of wheat-straw painting and bring it to more people.

On Oct 19, she shared her story during National Mass Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week, and many viewers expressed their interest and support.

"It is a folk handicraft using wheat straw. However, with rising labor costs and more complex techniques, the price keeps going up," Hu said, adding that it might disappear from public view.

Her parents are masters of wheat-straw art, which was listed as an intangible cultural heritage in Henan province. It is believed to have a history of more than 1,000 years.

Hu Kerong creates art with wheat straw in Zhengzhou, Henan province. [Photo by Tie Ran/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Making full use of the natural luster of wheat straw, masters of the craft make images of flowers, birds, insects, fish, people and scenery.

Hu, who has been learning from her parents since childhood, is an eighth-generation inheritor. With their help, as well as with support from her teachers at the university, Hu and four other students set up the Kemaixuan Workshop at the Sias Maker Space in October last year.

"We're utilizing computer programs to do some work so that it might be affordable to more people," Hu said.

To reduce production costs, the team also tried to combine wheat straw with notebooks, key chains, bookmarks, book covers and museum cultural creations, which will greatly promote wheat-straw painting in public life, she said.

Qi Xin contributed to this story.