The Taohuawu Woodblock New Year Prints

The Taohuawu Woodblock New Year Prints are from Ming dynasty and were popular in Yong Zheng and Qian Long dynasty.It is famous as Yang Liu Qing new year Prints side by side,so has a saying “Tao in South, Yang in North”. Both enjoys a high reputation domestic and abroad. Taohuawu Prints are painting and coloring in registered.Its skill inherits the carving technology of Song dynasty.The main forms are door painting central scroll and vertically-hung scroll,etc.Its themes are various. There are“Good fortune and festival, Figures illustrating narrative events and drama plots”and “Events and folk customs”etc.All are exquisitely printed, and rich in decorative art. Taohuawu Wood block New Year Prints own an important status in the art history and folkway history, and produce a significant influence to Ukiyoe in Japan.

Kat Cheung with Sage of Peace and Harmony and Roly-poly Ball of Harmony 

It is a precious kind of ancient version that is not often to be seen in the Suzhou Taohuawu woodcut New Year paintings. It is an ancient version of New Year paintings with symbol of peace, lucky and success, and it expresses the pursuit and longing of people. The cutting of pattern adorned and colorful painting is high valuable in the history material and arts appreciated. In the ancient version of New Year painting of "Kat Cheung with Sage of Peace and Harmony", the printing technique of "color brushes" and "pen color" had been used, that is one of the characers of Suzhou Taohuawu New Year paintings recorded since the Qing Dynasty. This is one import part of the development of Suzhou New Year paintings painted by the pen, color brush pen color, multi-purpose version.