I hope you’re staying warm! As I sit here, everyone in our office is bracing for the snow days ahead. There’s an old Chinese saying, “瑞雪兆豐年” (Ruì xuě zhào fēng nián), which means “A Prosperous Year Foretold by Auspicious Snow.” It’s such a lovely sentiment, don’t you think? A snowy New Year just means good fortune is on its way. Gotta love the positivity in Chinese culture!

Thinking about snow during Lunar New Year takes me back to my trip to China in October 2023. Elizabeth (our executive director) and I got to visit the New Year Painting Museum in Tianjin, a charming port city in Northern China known for its delicious “Go Believe” pork buns and stunning folk art. There, I saw an amazing collection of Nian Hua (年畫), traditional woodblock prints made especially for Lunar New Year. My favorite piece? A charming snowy courtyard scene with a snow man, well, okay, a snow dog! It was whimsical and perfectly captured the festival spirit.

For those unfamiliar, Nian Hua, a.k.a. the New Year woodblock prints, a key part of Chinese folk art and tradition of Lunar New Year. Tianjin’s Nian Hua has been around for over 400 years and is considered a nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage. These intricate prints combine woodblock printing with hand-painting, often featuring themes of prosperity, folktales, and good fortune.

At the museum, I got a firsthand look at how these prints are made. We saw everything from the woodblock carving to the color layering. Trust me, I tried my hand at it, and it’s A LOT harder than it looks! The level of detail, especially for faces, was mind-blowing—it can take over twenty layers of color to get it just right. I was also thrilled to see so many young artists keeping this tradition alive, many in their 20s and 30s.

Want to try your hand at making Nian Hua? Join us at Lan Su during our “Create Your Own Nian Hua” activity on weekends. Our version may be simpler, but it’ll give you a taste of the artistry behind these vibrant prints. Don’t forget to visit our Garden Shop to pick up some Nian Hua magnets. These designs are from classic Nian Hua from our sister city, Suzhou.

As we ring in the Lunar New Year, may these beautiful works of art inspire a year filled with joy, abundance, and warmth!