An exhibition in Shanghai's Changning district is currently displaying 45 Chinese New Year paintings and six European copperplate engravings.

During the Chinese New Year holiday, traditional customs such as honoring the kitchen god, seeking blessings, and celebrating good fortune are practiced. Chinese New Year paintings reflect these customs.

The exhibition features renowned paintings from Tianjin's Yangliuqing and Suzhou's Taohuawu, as well as Xiaojiaochang woodcut paintings that capture the unique cultural essence of Shanghai.

Xiaojiaochang was a military training ground near the old City God Temple. The area has been a hub for producing woodcut Chinese New Year pictures in Shanghai since the mid-1800s.

Craftsmen from Taohuawu in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, sought refuge in Shanghai during the Taiping Rebellion, the largest peasant uprising in Chinese history. Many of these craftsmen settled in Xiaojiaochang, establishing businesses. At its peak, this area housed numerous wood print studios along a street no longer than 200 meters.

If you go

Time: Ongoing through March 2025, with regular hours during holidays

Location: Gubei campus of Shanghai University of International Business and Economics

No reservation is necessary; visitors can enter with a valid ID card or passport.

Sources: Official WeChat account of Changning District Information Office at "shchangning", chinadaily.com.cn