Ancient Chinese paintings have long been a silent movement in art history. In Pingtan, an island off E China's Fujian province, a group of shell carving masters recreated famous Chinese paintings with seashells, shedding light on the breadth of innovation and traditional art.  

Recently, reporters from Pingtan CMC visited the inheritor of Pingtan Shell Carving Zhan Lixing to listen to the story behind the creative works.

Golden Pheasant Resting on Hibiscus Branch is one of the representative works by Emperor Huizong in the Xuanhe period (1119-1125). The original painting is honored as a masterpiece in the “bird and flower” painting genres of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Through this shell carving work, viewers can feel the poetic golden autumn. 

Five Oxen by Han Huang, an eminent painter as well as a prime minister in the Tang Dynasty is one of the top ten Chinese paintings. The five oxen, walking or standing, holding their heads high or bowing their heads, are portrayed with different appearances and vivid bearings. 

Inheritors of the intangible cultural heritage Zhan Lixin and Zhan Sheng also reproduced Bird Attracted to Ripe Fruit, a masterpiece in ancient flower-and-bird paintings. 

The delicate techniques vividly restored the polished branches, layer upon layer, and the fowl appearing about to take off. In this piece of art, you can spot a bird swooping suddenly on the branches, breaking the tranquility of the wooded mountain. Abruptly, it raised its furry breasts and tail and looked back, poised to leave.

“So far, we have duplicated more than 30 shell carving works of famous Chinese paintings. We plan for 108 in total,” said Zhan Lixin. “We have been negotiating with an art exhibition agency in the UK. I hope to make these works go global to promote Pingtan Shell Carving and the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.

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