A painting-framer in Changlinqiao village prepares to make a painting framing work. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Changlinqiao village in Tongzhou district, Nantong used to be famous for framing paintings, and many framing experts came from the village.

Framing paintings is a traditional handicraft in China that enjoys a long history along with Chinese opera, calligraphy, and traditional Chinese paintings.

"In the 1920s, framing paintings was popular in Changlinqiao and every villager was keen to master the art," said Fan Hanxun, former chairman of the Nantong Framing Painting Association.

Fan added that the village built an arts and crafts factory back then, which cultivated numerous framing painting professionals.

A framed traditional Chinese painting. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

In the 1980s, Changlinqiao's framing painting professionals went to Beijing and gained a reputation for excellent craftsmanship, and to this day there are many framing painting experts in Beijing that come from Changlinqiao, according to the former chairman.

To frame a painting is actually to recreate a painting and when a painting requires restoration, painting-framers also play the role of "doctor". Therefore, a qualified painting-framer can not only frame a painting, but also bring out the radiance of a painting that has lost its color, said Wang Jiangao, chairman of the Nantong Framing Painting Association.

Wang noted that framing paintings is a slow and meticulous process. For example, he took more than three months to repair and frame a calligraphy work that was severely damaged from improper preservation.

Due to its high intensity, monotony, and difficulty finding employment, framing paintings has lost its attractiveness to young people, while technology has also impacted the handicraft.