| Locals perform lion dance during the art parade of Chinese Lunar New Year Paintings Festival in Mianzhu City, one of the worst-hit areas in the May 12 quake in Sichuan Province, on January 15, 2009. Mianzhu is renowned for its woodblock New Year paintings. Originating in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the art reached its peak during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The process features ink line printing on woodblock in various colors. The theme of paintings ranges from historic stories, fairy tales to opera and dramas. There were more than 300 painting factories, big and small, across the city before the quake. (Xinhua) |
