Great News! Another Provincial Recognition!

Congratulations

to Pan Zhijian from Xiang'an District on being selected

for the Sixth Batch of

Provincial-Level Representative Inheritors of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Fujian Province.

On April 29, the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism released the sixth batch of provincial-level representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, listing a total of 184 individuals. So far, Fujian Province is home to 187 national-level representative inheritors and 1,096 provincial-level representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage.

01 The Provincial-Level Representative Inheritor of Xiang'an Farmers' Paintings,

Pan Zhijian

A graduate of the Arts Department of Jimei University, Pan Zhijian currently serves as a Research Fellow and Director of the Xiang’an District Cultural Center in Xiamen. He is also a member of the China Artists Association and the China Folk Literature and Art Association. Since 2004, Pan has been dedicated to the study of Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings, while receiving the guidance of senior folk artists, notably Liang Jincheng. Since then, Pan’s engagement with Xiang’an Farmers’ Painting has led to the creation of several works, including "Hui Women Returning from Fishing," "Weaving Dreams," and "A Village Festival," which have been selected for various national exhibitions of farmers’ paintings.

Since 2016, Pan has begun integrating folk art with the distinctive artistic language of lacquer painting, pioneering a new genre, lacquer-style farmers’ paintings. His piece "Interpreting Nostalgia" earned a place in the 13th National Exhibition of Fine Arts; "Celebrating a Bountiful Year" was showcased in the 5th National Lacquer Painting Exhibition; "The Chegu Couple" was honored with the Excellence Award at the Folk Traditional Artworks Exhibition of the 7th Fujian Provincial Arts Festival; "Minnan Memories " won the Silver Award at the Fujian Folk Literature and Art “Camellia Awards.” His piece "Xiang’an Song Jiang Battle Array" has been collected by the Arts Museum of Fujian, while "Imperial Melody," "Stories at the Village Entrance," and other works are housed in the Fujian Museum of Art. Additionally, "Interpreting Nostalgia" and "The Chegu Couple" have been acquired by the Xiamen Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center and the Xiamen Art Gallery.

02 Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings

Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings could trace their origins back to the 1950s and 1960s. (In the early days, such works from Xiang’an and Tong’an in Xiamen were collectively referred to as “Tong’an Farmers’ Paintings.” Following the administrative reorganization of Xiamen in 2003, the art form was officially renamed “Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings.”) In 1988, Xiang’an was designated by the Ministry of Culture as one of the first national “Homes of Modern Folk Painting.”

Known for its distinctive style and remarkable achievements, Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings have developed over decades into a provincially recognized representative item of intangible cultural heritage. With a growing influence across the country, Xiang’an District has also twice been honored by the Ministry of Culture (now the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) with the title of “Home of China's Folk Culture and Arts.”

Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings are characterized by a wide range of creative themes, strong material compatibility, and diverse forms of expression. Over the past decade, dozens of artists have created four to five hundred works that reflect the distinctive local culture of Xiang’an, depicting Xiang'an folk customs, intangible cultural heritage, local life, and red brick architecture. As the art form evolves with the times, over a hundred public-interest posters have been created under the series “Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings Illustrate Core Values.”

Using simple and heartfelt techniques, Xiang’an Farmers’ Paintings bring to life subjects that resonate with everyday people. By portraying scenes and themes beloved by the community, the art form has come to stand as one of the most representative treasures of folk art in Xiamen.