In order to nurture future artists and promote high-quality prints, this year, Liu Yue's institute has recruited more than 40 key creators — mostly young people with basic painting skills such as teachers, enterprise employees and folk artists — for a 10-day elite creators' training session.

"A high-quality farmers' print sometimes takes three to five months to complete, through complex procedures of conceptualization, plate making, carving and printing," says Li Fangde, 59, another inheritor of the cultural heritage and the first farmer to open a Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking art studio as early as in 2003.

He calls for more young people to learn about the art form and join its inheritance base. He also hopes the traditional art could gain more market recognition at home and abroad so that local artists can keep going.

Contact the writers at dengrui@chinadaily.com.cn