Ancient architectural painting becomes thriving industry in north China's Shanxi

A craftsman from Yushe county in north China's Shanxi Province paints an ancient building. (Photo/Tian Bing)

In a workshop in Shihua village, Yushe county, north China's Shanxi Province, Jia Yanbing, an inheritor of ancient architectural painting techniques, carefully executes a mural.

Yushe's ancient architectural painting techniques are a provincial intangible cultural heritage. Leveraging this tradition, the local government has developed the "Yushe Ancient Architectural Craftsmen" labor service brand and cultivated the ancient architectural painting industry. These efforts have transformed cultural heritage into a competitive economic advantage while ensuring traditional skills are passed down.

Yue Junde, an octogenarian master craftsman in Shihua village, specializes in one of the signature styles of ancient architectural painting in Shanxi. According to Yue, this style originated during the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907). It evolved from kangweihua, wall paintings surrounding a kang (a heated brick bed) during the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-A.D. 220). Over time, craftsmen incorporated other techniques into architectural painting, forming the distinctive Shanxi-style craftsmanship.

In the 1970s, Yue led 21 apprentices to Taiyuan, the provincial capital, to restore the sutra pavilion at Yingze Park — a project that helped establish the reputation of ancient architectural craftsmen from Yushe. The complex project was completed in less than five months.

Subsequently, the ancient architectural team led by Yue secured a firm foothold in Taiyuan. Over the decades, Yue's team has undertaken restoration projects, including the renowned Jinci Temple in Shanxi and has even crossed borders, constructing Chinese-style pavilions and gardens in multiple countries.

Photo shows paintings on an ancient building. (Photo/Tian Bing)

In 2011, Yushe's ancient architectural painting techniques were officially recognized as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage in Shanxi.

Yushe county has gradually established a comprehensive talent cultivation mechanism for ancient architectural painting techniques.

Chang Taisheng, an ancient building architect who has been engaged in ancient architectural painting for over 40 years, has taken on a new role at Yushe Vocational Middle School, passing this ancient craft on to younger generations.

Since the establishment of the Yushe Architectural Painting Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshop in 2022, numerous inheritors have given lessons on the craft. To date, the workshop has conducted 13 training sessions for more than 1,000 painters.

In the exhibition hall of the workshop, several trainees were creating cultural and creative mural products. "By producing cultural and creative works, trainees can earn an additional 2,000 yuan ($286) to 3,000 yuan per month," said Ren Jinfu, director of the workshop.

Today, Yushe county has formed a complete industrial chain spanning timber component production, ancient building restoration and the development of cultural and creative products, helping over 7,000 residents secure employment through systematic, multichannel training. The county has also organized construction teams to participate in more than 20 rural bed-and-breakfast renovation projects, driving a 20 percent increase in tourism revenue.

Ancient architectural craftsmen from Yushe are now active at restoration sites across Tianjin, Jiangsu, Yunnan and other regions, becoming a distinctive calling card for the county's labor service brand.