Among Tianjin's many folk arts, the most representative is the Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings.

Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings originated in the thousand-year-old Yangliuqing Town. During the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty, the opening of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal and the rise of Tianjin's grain transport trade turned Yangliuqing into a major hub for north–south commodities, bringing rapid economic prosperity. Woodblock painting artisans from surrounding areas gradually settled in Yangliuqing to expand their craft. The region around the town produced abundant wild pear wood, an ideal carving material, and with this practical resource available, Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings rose to prominence and flourished. A thriving scene soon emerged in which "every household could paint and color, and every family excelled at brushwork".

Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings encompass a wide range of themes, with rich content and full, balanced compositions. Their imagery conveys auspicious meanings that appeal to both refined tastes and popular audiences. Crafted through a combined method of carving and painting, they feature exquisite engraving, delicate brushwork, vivid figures, and elegant color palettes, making them one of China's most renowned categories of New Year paintings. Through subjects such as door gods, chubby children, and auspicious motifs, they transform the simple wish of the Chinese people for a bumper harvest and peace all year round into brilliant artistic expression.

Recommended Places to Visit

Yangliuqing Ancient Town in Tianjin

Situated along the southern section of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal, Yangliuqing Ancient Town is famous for its woodblock New Year paintings. Its Ming and Qing architectural complexes, set against the ancient canal, have earned it the nicknames "Jiangnan in the North" and "Yangzhou by the Estuary". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the finely painted and auspicious Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings were shipped to destinations across China thanks to the thriving canal transport.

Yangliuqing Folk Culture Museum

Located in Daliutan Village's fruit seedling farm in Yangliuqing Town, the museum integrates agriculture, culture, tourism, and leisure. It features adventure, education, entertainment, art, food and more, vividly presenting still-living folk crafts and recreating the prosperity and everyday scenes of historical Yangliuqing.

Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Painting Museum

A public museum dedicated to collection, research, and exhibition, it showcases 619 Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings and holds more than 10,000 New Year paintings dating back to the Ming dynasty, along with over 6,400 antique woodblocks. It has seven exhibition halls for"Historical Transmission", "Opera Stories", and "Treasures of Antique Blocks".

Recommended Route

"Jin-Style Folk Culture · Ancient Town Impressions" Sightseeing Tour

Zhongbei Town Canal Culture Tourism Area → Yangliuqing Folk Culture Museum → Yangliuqing Ancient Town (including Shi Family Courtyard) → Eco Liubu → Chin Woo Men · Chinese Martial Arts Park

Sources: Official WeChat account of Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, WeChat ID "tjylqhs", and others