The fertile soil of the countryside is also rich in artistic inspiration. "If farmers pick up a brush, they can become artists. If one does something with pure devotion, a stroke of genius will follow," Miao Huixin, a cultural envoy to Shengfeng Village of Youchegang Town, Xiuzhou District in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, said. Miao is acclaimed as "China's rural Picasso" and was once featured by TIME magazine as one of 10 outstanding Asian artists.

A demonstration zone for common prosperity, Zhejiang has pioneered the cultural envoy system nationwide, selecting renowned cultural figures to assist townships in advancing cultural development.

Xiuzhou farmer paintings have become some of the most striking cultural symbols in the region due to their exaggerated shapes, bright colors, rich compositions and distinctive water-town charm. In March, a farmer painting class opened in Shengfeng Village, where 22 students were taught painting and creative techniques by Miao, bringing the daily life of the fields into their artworks.

According to Miao, 90 percent of the students come from nearby villages, including children and seniors residing in nursing homes. "Some students had no prior painting experience. For them, painting is a way to express their inner emotions with colors and images. Through this process, they develop their own aesthetic judgment, which is in turn a form of self-cultivation, observation and reflection."

Thanks to municipal funding, the painting class not only waives tuition and material fees, but also provides participants with subsidies. Over the course of four months, the students used their spare time to learn and create paintings, each producing four works.

In late September, the Xiuzhou Creation Base for Chinese Modern Folk Painting hosted the We Live Here farmer painting exhibition, showcasing the students' creations. The exhibition will run until January 1, 2026, and will then move to the nearby Jiaxing Cultural and Art Center.

"I have held painting exhibitions abroad, and many international friends appreciate farmer paintings, viewing them as a sincere expression of inner emotions with an exotic charm," Miao said. He said he believes that some students, if they continue to delve deeper into art, can become independent artists and their works may even be sold worldwide. The painting class can also inspire other villagers, helping them realize that painting is not a difficult task.

Currently, Xiuzhou is home to one farmer painting art gallery, 32 creation bases and talent pools for farmer paintings, and a team of over 2,000 farmer painters.

Wu Haimei is one of the students in Miao's painting class. Years ago, she was moved by Miao's works, which sparked her interest in paintings. "I am a native rural girl from Youchegang Town and work in social security. I paint in my spare time, infusing my works with the love I have for my hometown."

In 2017, Wu participated in a painting class in Youchegang. This year, she rejoined the class and created four self-portraits, impressing viewers with bold colors and freestyle brushstrokes.

"Since I started painting, I've become more patient in dealing with people and feel a great sense of accomplishment. I've attended many training sessions with excellent teachers, and their unwavering passion for painting deeply moves me," Wu said. She runs a small studio in neighboring Maijia Village, where she offers locals free training. She believes that "everyone can create and become an artist."

Since 2001, Xiuzhou has held a farmer painting festival every two to three years, showcasing over 2,500 works. The district has also taken these paintings abroad, organizing exhibitions in more than 20 countries while nurturing local painting collectives and providing free training for roughly 10,000 residents.

Beyond exhibitions, Xiuzhou has successfully integrated this folk art into its rural economy. By establishing a dedicated painting arts company, it has developed nearly 200 cultural derivative products—generating an output value of 25.66 million yuan ($3.6 million) and turning local creativity into sustainable income. BR

The author is a reporter with China.org.cn 

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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