Chinese New Year woodblock print exhibition greets the Year of the Horse

On Feb 4, coinciding with the Start of Spring (li chun), the Blessings: Exhibition of Traditional Chinese New Year Paintings Collected by Prince Kung's Palace Museum opened in the museum's West Zone 1, extending heartfelt Spring Festival greetings to visitors.

As a Chinese New Year custom, pasting woodblock prints (nianhua) on doors and walls brightens homes with vivid colors, lively imagery, and auspicious symbolism. More than festive decoration, these prints embody continuity of tradition and express wishes for prosperity and happiness in the year ahead.

To celebrate the Year of the Horse, the exhibition presents over 100 carefully selected works under the theme "New Year Prints for the Chinese New Year." Covering four types of New Year prints in different sections, the display highlights the rich regional character and folk artistry of woodblock prints from major production centers, including Yangliuqing (Tianjin), Wuqiang (Hebei), Yangjiabu (Shandong), Fengxiang (Shaanxi), Zhuxianzhen (Henan), and Taohuawu (Suzhou, Jiangsu).

Among the highlights are a dynamic door god holding a whip or a Chinese mace (jian) on a horse, an auspicious motif of a monkey on a horse creating a pun (mashang fenghou) symbolizing immediately becoming a high-ranking official, and theatrical scenes of mounted warriors, reflecting the horse's enduring symbolism of vigor, courage, and aspiration in Chinese culture.

The exhibition also features woodblocks from selected regions. Animated adaptations of New Year prints enliven the gallery space, while an interactive rubbing area invites visitors to experience the traditional printing process firsthand. Artworks, activities, and immersive scenes together create a vibrant, festive atmosphere and demonstrate the living vitality of this time-honored folk art.

During the exhibition period, representative inheritors of Chinese New Year woodblock prints from Fengxiang, Taohuawu, Yangliuqing, and Zhuxianzhen will present live demonstrations of carving and printing techniques. A series of related public education programs will also be launched.

The exhibition runs through April 12.