(ZhejiangPictorial)Jixue Stone, highly sought-after material for making seals and carving handicrafts

HANGZHOU, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Jixue stone, featuring chicken-blood bright red traces, a local specialty in Changhua Town of Hangzhou City, is a highly sought-after material for making seals and carving handicrafts. Inspired by its colors, artisan have been bringing ingeniously-designed and broadly-themed creations throughout its long history and helped form the Jixue stone carving's unique features with their relentless pursuit of craftsmanship. The Changhua Jixue stone carving was listed in the second batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008.

Combo photo taken on Nov. 5, 2020 shows pieces of stone carving artwork made of Jixue stones at Changhua Jixue stone museum in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Combo photo taken on Nov. 5, 2020 shows seals made of Jixue stones at Changhua Jixue stone museum in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2020 shows a replica of a seal created by Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, for the G20 Hangzhou Summit at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2020 shows a piece of artwork made of Jixue stone by Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, creates a piece of artwork at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, works on a Jixue stone at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, carves on a Jixue stone at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, carves a seal at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2020 shows a piece of artwork made of Jixue stone by Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2020 shows a piece of artwork made of Jixue stone by Qian Gaochao, national level master of arts and crafts, at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Shao Chengxin, provincial level master of arts and crafts, carves on a Jixue stone at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Shao Chengxin, provincial level master of arts and crafts, carves on a Jixue stone at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Shao Chengxin, provincial level master of arts and crafts, works on a Jixue stone at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

The vitality of this heritage has never faded away with time. In recent years, the local government has adopted a series of measures to facilitate the industrial development and the cultivation of young artisans. The Changhua Jixue stone carving is blossoming with new life in heritage and innovation.

Qian Gaochao (2nd L), national level master of arts and crafts, demonstrates carving process for students studying stone carving at the Changhua vocational high school at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Gaochao (L), national level master of arts and crafts, carves on a Jixue stone as his son Qian Youjie looks on at his studio in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Youjie (back), provincial level master of arts and crafts, coaches a student studying stone carving at the Changhua vocational high school in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Students studying stone carving at the Changhua vocational high school enter the Changhua Jixue stone inheriting base in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Jiang Sihai, vice president of the Changhua stone industry association, presents Jixue stones to visitors at a seal culture experience museum in Changhua Town of Lin'an District, Hangzhou City of east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Jiang Sihai, vice president of the Changhua stone industry association, demonstrates a seal made of Jixue stone at a seal culture experience museum in Changhua Town, Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Qian Youjie, provincial level master of arts and crafts, arranges a seal in Lin'an District of Hangzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 5, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Visitors take photos of a piece of Jixue stone carving artwork at a stone museum in Changhua Town of Lin'an District, Hangzhou City of east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2020.  (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

Supervisor: Liu Jie, He Lingling

Producer: Wang Jianhua, Shen Xiquan

Director: Yuan Zhenyu, Zhang Xinjing

Photographer: Weng Xinyang, Song Lifeng

Editor: Hou Jun, Hou Dongtao, Zhang Xinjing, Tian Weiwei

Video Editor: Song Lifeng, Tian Weiwei■