Cai Li poses for a photo with her Songxi wood paintings, which were ways to pay her respect to the motherland ahead of the 20th CPC National Congress. [Photo provided by Cai Li/fjsen.com]

"Since the beginning of this year, I have been thinking about what to make to celebrate the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)," said Cai Li, a provincial-level inheritor of Songxi wood painting.

Eventually Cai paid her respect with a series of three wood paintings depicting a rushing river in the snowy mountains in northern Fujian.

Snow is rare to see in northern Fujian, but a sudden spring snow in early 2022 inspired Cai. "How beautiful my hometown's landscape is!" Cai exclaimed when recalling the spring snowfall.

As a timely snowfall promises a good harvest, Cai decided to create her wood painting artwork about spring snow scenery.

Songxi, dubbed as the "hometown of folk wood painting in China", has a long history of wood printing, and the Songxi wood painting technique was included in Fujian provincial intangible cultural heritage item list in 2019.

The creation process includes five steps – drafting, copying, carving, rubbing, and signing, so it usually takes two months or longer to complete one piece. Cai felt worthy to express her love for the motherland through the characteristic Songxi art form.

Cai Li's Songxi wood paintings depict the stunning snow scenery in northern Fujian. [Photo provided by Cai Li/fjsen.com]