When Zoon Ahmed Khan, a 28-year-old researcher from Pakistan, landed in Tianjin – future host of the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit – she didn’t expect to become an apprentice to a 400-year-old artistic tradition. 🔥
Under the guidance of Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Prints inheritor Xi Wang, Khan carved and painted her first piece: "Journey to the West," reimagining the classic Chinese tale through fresh eyes. 🖌️ "It’s like time-traveling with ink," she laughed, showing off her vibrant creation featuring golden-hooved dragons and cloud-riding heroes.
📜 The process? More intense than a TikTok DIY tutorial:
Carving pear wood blocks with surgical precision
Layering up to 20 colored prints per artwork
Hand-painting final details that AI can’t replicate (yet!)
As SCO nations prepare for 2025’s cultural exchanges, stories like Khan’s remind us that heritage isn’t just preserved – it’s reinvented through cross-border curiosity. 🤝 Who’s ready to try their hand at living history?
