Blanketed in pure white snow, it is indeed a picturesque scene in Northern China. On December 19th, Liaoning International Communication Center organized a cultural event known as “Artistic Painting of Hongshan Culture” at Shenyang Normal University, inviting international students in Liaoning from countries including Russia, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, Iran, and Palestine. They gained an “immersive” understanding of the profound significance and essence of Hongshan Culture by experiencing the seal carving of “jade pig-shaped dragon”, a representative artifact of Hongshan Culture.

Recently, the National Cultural Heritage Administration has released the latest research findings of the project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization. It suggested that various regions in China entered the era of ancient states nearly 5,800 years ago with the Niuheliang site of Hongshan Culture symbolizing its first stage. This conclusion further established Hongshan Culture as one of the origins of Chinese civilization.

A large number of precious artifacts were unearthed at the sites of Hongshan Culture in west Liaoning, with the “jade pig-shaped dragon” being the most representative. It is bold in style with a lifelike dragon head featuring a plump body, big ears, wide eyes, a broad mouth, exposed fangs, and a hole on the back for threading and hanging, which is finely and vividly sculpted. The jade pig-shaped dragon is worshiped by ancient ancestors, serving as a symbol of social status and identity.

This jade pig-shaped dragon is collected in the Liaoning Provincial Museum that designed the logo according to its image. The Museum has also launched a series of creative cultural products featuring the jade pig-shaped dragon, such as ice cream, soap, and mouse pads, all of which are popular with domestic and international visitors.

Under the guidance of Professor Li Daisong from the College of Fine Art and Design at Shenyang Normal University, international students from various countries learned about the Hongshan Culture and jade pig-shaped dragon while studying designing drafts and carving seals. With a piece of Balin stone in hand, students used sandpaper to polish the seal surface, rub the designed draft onto it, and then began carving the seal. Several hours later, they completed the seals carved with the image of jade pig-shaped dragon, dipped their carved seals into ink pads, and stamped them on paper with great enthusiasm, making the jade pig-shaped dragon “come back to life”.

Japanese student Ryo Tazawa expressed excitedly, “This is a wonderful experience class of Hongshan Culture. This artistic form showcases traditional Chinese culture through a small seal. The jade pig-shaped dragon has a unique and adorable design, and I would like to present it in other art forms in the future.”

“The jade pig-shaped dragon features abundant details, so it was a little challenging to carve this seal, but I enjoyed the process. Today, I not only learned seal carving skills but also gained a deeper understanding of Hongshan Culture in Liaoning, which was a great harvest.” said Jordanian student Mohammad Hadidi, “Ancient ancestors were living in the western region of Liaoning 5,800 years ago. Liaoning has a long history and I look forward to the opportunity to visit the Niuheliang site in the future.”