Pingtan, a coastal island with profound cross-Straits cultural ties and rich intangible cultural heritage resources in Fujian Province, ushers in the 2026 Year of the Horse with unique handcrafted art. Two local inheritors of intangible cultural heritage have created a series of horse-themed works using shells and natural colored sand, blending traditional craftsmanship with New Year's auspicious meanings as the Spring Festival approaches.

Horse-themed shell carving work

Zhou Ming(centre) presenting horse-themed shell carving work

Zhou Ming, an inheritor of Pingtan Shell Carving, has kept the tradition of designing Chinese zodiac-themed shell carving works every year. For the Year of the Horse, he created the May Fortune Come Soon series in two styles, a small red one and a large blue one, to cater for different occasions. The nine-centimeter small piece features a red base with a steed carved from white pearl shell and three ancient coins made of golden butterfly shell on the horse's back. "Red symbolizes a prosperous start, and the gentle texture of shells implies the steady accumulation of wealth," Zhou said. The 27-centimeter large piece has a deep blue base, with a natural abalone shell with iridescent colors inlaid on the saddle, adding an elegant luster to the work. Another work, a custom-made piece titled May Success Stride Swiftly, is currently in the works. Inspired by Xu Beihong's iconic galloping horse paintings, it symbolizes a thriving career. The shell carving works are well-received by the market; the blue version of May Fortune Come Soon has sold out, and the red one is being rushed to production.

Horse-themed sand painting work

Lin Fuping presenting horse-themed sand painting work

Lin Fuping, an inheritor of Pingtan Sand Painting, creates his works with natural colored sand sourced locally from Pingtan, which has six to seven natural hues without artificial dyeing. Working on dark round plates, he has produced two key works, May Success Stride Swiftly and Happiness Multiplied. Sand painting creation requires extreme patience: each layer of sand is fixed with special glue and left to dry completely before the next layer is added. "The flowing sense of a horse's mane and tail must be expressed by stacking sand grains of different thicknesses layer by layer," Lin explained. The round plate's curved surface creates a dynamic illusion, making the steed seem to gallop when viewed from different angles. His student Wei Nuoyan noted that May Success Stride Swiftly uses multi-colored sand to outline the horse's muscle texture and light and shadow, giving the work vivid vitality with strong island characteristics from the local materials. Happiness Multiplied depicts two steeds gazing at each other on golden sand "grassland", interpreting the happiness of company and peace. Lin embeds sand paintings on daily round plates, hoping the handcrafted works with auspicious meanings can accompany people in ordinary life.

The shell carving and sand painting works, all crafted with meticulous techniques and full of New Year's wishes, showcase the charm of Pingtan's intangible cultural heritage and bring a strong festive atmosphere for the Spring Festival.