河北省武強市における年画に関する調査・研究

Abstract

The study is a part of the comprehensive research on the traditional Chinese folk paintings. It focuses specifically on New-Year-Paintings applied as a regional cultural resource in Wuqiang City Hebei Province and aims at investigating the past development and transition. The field survey found that the paintings can be classified into 3 different categories. They are: 1) woodblock prints; 2) paper printings; and 3) paper cutting art. The required skills in each category are significantly different. Especially the local woodblock prints reveal a record of the historical background. Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, they became popular as the folk art which is closely linked to the mind of appreciation and esteem for the four seasons and the surrounding local climate. Meanwhile, science and technology have developed so much in our modern era. The associated drastic changes in our life style has made the traditional New-Year-Paintings quickly disappearing. In light of their aesthetic and moral feature, it is of great importance to pursue the practical ways and measures for their revitalization in the region’s social life.