An ongoing exhibition about nianhua, the traditional Chinese New Year paintings, shows 140 vintage pieces that were produced in Tianjin's Yangliuqing town and reviews various subjects and styles that prompted Yangliuqing to become a nianhua-production center. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

He adds that similar motifs also appear in other forms of art such as ceramic pillars of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

In the old days, several nianhua painters thrived on painting children although they did not become household names.

For instance, Song painter Liu Zongdao could sell several hundred works a day. Another painter Song Hai'er, whose real name is not known, is remembered as "the man surnamed Song and specializing in painting children".

Yangliuqing, which means green willows in Chinese, got its name for the lush trees. It was also hailed as xiao su hang－a miniature version of southern China's beautiful Suzhou and Hangzhou cities－in northern China.

It is recorded that the production of New Year paintings began there in the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and reached its peak in the mid-Qing Dynasty.

Bo says that the nianhua art form in Yangliuqing boomed because it was an important port, especially for shipping grain through the Grand Canal, which connected Beijing and Hangzhou.

Economic prosperity also led to local residents becoming more open-minded and seeking refined artistic products, he adds.

It is said that in its "golden years", there were more than 3,000 nianhua artists in Yangliuqing and almost every household in its neighboring 36 villages could produce nianhua paintings.

Merchants from southern China also brought to Yangliuqing their own artistic styles, which were infused into the northern culture.