Miao painting tradition being given a makeover to enable its survival in the modern world, Yang Feiyue reports.

In a quiet corner of Qianzhou ancient town, nestled in the mountains of Hunan province, 61-year-old Liang Desong often sits at his wooden desk for up to 10 hours a day.

It's demanding for a man of his age, but he says he doesn't feel the time, as he immerses himself in Miao painting, an ethnic art form he has practiced for decades.

Surrounded by the tools of his craft, from fine-tipped brushes and a palette of vibrant paints, to bolts of dark black and indigo fabric, he outlines his design before applying base colors, layering on additional hues, and then adding the fine details.

READ MORE: Experience Guizhou's gifts

The flow of tourism to the town in Jishou in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture has sent visitors to his workshop to appreciate the ancient art.

"I'm working on some big customized pieces that run more than 1 meter long and 80 centimeters wide for clients," Liang says.

Orders have flown in for his creations over the years.

An art form deeply rooted in Miao culture and tradition, Miao painting is known for its intricate natural motifs like peonies and lotuses, as well as auspicious symbols like phoenixes, dragons and fish. These are complemented by geometric designs, which are classified into five distinct forms: refined motifs, clustered patterns, horned designs, bordered embellishments and squared compositions.

These abstract yet evocative geometric patterns are a visual language, encoding the triumphs and tribulations of Miao history while preserving the essence of their cultural reverence, Liang explains.

"The most demanding part is the detail — mimicking the intricate stitches of Miao embroidery with a brush," he says, adding that he spent five years just mastering his brush strokes.

Holding his tool like a needle, he carefully traces lines that give the painting its textured, embroidered appearance.

"It's a painstaking process, but one that brings the artwork to life, blurring the line between painting and textile art," he says.

Miao painting is derived from Miao embroidery patterns dating back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but has evolved into a distinct art form of its own, thanks to efforts by Liang's family.

Embroidery was an important form of adornment for Miao women, with designs that graced everything from clothing and quilts to curtains, door hangings and wall decorations.

It is an indispensable item at weddings, childbirth celebrations, and even the construction of new homes, and many artisans made a living just by sketching patterns for embroiderers.

But as the older generation of craftsmen passed away, the art teetered on the edge of extinction.

It was Liang's grandfather and father who stepped in to preserve this cultural treasure by collecting and refining Miao patterns, and designing motifs of their own.

Liang's grandfather was a schoolteacher who sketched patterns for embroiderers in the mid-20th century.

"He only outlined the designs, leaving the choice of colors to the women," Liang says.

The tradition passed to Liang's father, who began by drawing simple outlines but soon infused his work with his own creativity and personal flair. His designs, inspired by the world around him, became highly sought-after.

"Every five days, people from nearby villages would come to my father for patterns for their clothes and quilts," Liang says.

By the 1950s, as Miao women became too busy with farm work to embroider, Liang's father came up with a revolutionary solution: he painted Miao patterns directly onto the costumes, in place of embroidery.

This marked a pivotal shift from embroidery to stand-alone paintings, a bold innovation that redefined the art.

Since the Miao have no written language, painting has become an outlet for them to express their culture.

"My father would design patterns inspired by nature — flowers, birds, butterflies — and the myths we hold dear. Then, skilled women would embroider these designs, turning them into wearable art," says Liang, who has followed in his father's footsteps, learning Miao painting since he was 7.

As he honed his skills, Liang started to appreciate how the motifs reflect aspirations for joy, prosperity, longevity and bountiful harvests.

"Symmetry is a hallmark of Miao painting, and there are some things you can paint, and some you cannot," he says.

For example, a pair of magpies symbolize double happiness, and the position of the dragon on the left and the phoenix on the right must not be mistaken. The combination of magpies and plum blossoms, or phoenixes and peonies, also follows specific rules.

Liang sees composition as key. Despite this, there are no rigid rules or fixed techniques, and painters have to rely on their intuition and experience of mixing and matching basic patterns, making every painting unique, he explains.

"Additionally, composition requires smooth, full lines and symmetrical forms. All the conceptualization happens in your mind. Every stroke must be precise, with no room for error or correction," he says.

As his understanding and skill grew, the rise of machine-made clothing in the 1980s threatened the craft once more. The demand for hand-painted Miao patterns dwindled.

At 22, Liang was forced to lay down his brush and take up miscellaneous jobs, from farming to construction, to make a living.

Even so, he never let go of the craft entirely.

"I kept painting from time to time, to keep my hand in," he says.

His break came in 2003, when folk art made a comeback. Local authorities tasked Liang with collecting Miao painting elements. This encouraged him to focus on his family heritage. He set a five-year goal of painting all the patterns he could find.

"Even if there was no market, I would be able to leave these paintings for future generations," he says.

In 2009, when the Xiangxi prefecture government held a folk arts and crafts competition, Liang's Double Phoenixes Facing the Sun, measuring 1 meter wide and 3 meters long and featuring two radiant phoenixes surrounded by pairs of colorful birds, lush greenery, and delicate butterflies, took the gold prize.

"I felt it put Miao painting on the map," Liang says.

Over the following five years, his work received recognition from scholars and experts around the country, among them Feng Jicai, a well-known Chinese author, artist and cultural scholar, who wrote that compared to Miao silverware and embroidery, Miao painting was radiant, exquisite and pure, captivating those fortunate to witness its beauty.

Tian Maojun, a professor at Hunan-based Jishou University, says that Liang's work carries the "freshness and sincerity of nature, unpolished, unaffected and free from artificiality".

These positive responses gave Liang the determination to continue to hone his skills.

He not only paints on cloth but has gradually started painting on Xuan paper as well.

His pieces are increasingly admired, attracting a growing number of collectors. He has also been invited to fine art exhibitions to demonstrate the art form's charm.

In 2011, Miao painting from Xiangxi was named a national intangible cultural heritage, and seven years later, Liang was named a national inheritor.

Under her father's influence, Liang's daughter, Liang Jincui, took up the family trade after graduating from college in 2015. Now in her 30s, she has dedicated herself to revitalizing the art of Miao painting through creative and modern interpretations.

"I focus on designing cultural products with Miao painting elements, such as pendants and other accessories," she says.

To make the art form relevant to today's market, she has embraced innovation, collaborating with tea brands to create specially designed packaging. Her goal is to use contemporary technology and methods that resonate with the young to present the art in a fresh and accessible way.

ALSO READ: Qijiang farmers' journey into creative fields

In addition, Liang Jincui has offered Miao painting training to those interested in learning the craft.

She says her decision to pursue this path stems from a deep sense of mission, shaped by the dedication and effort her father has poured into reviving the once faltering art.

"Miao painting originally served the lives and traditions of the Miao," she explains. "What we're doing now is bringing it back into our lives and reintroducing it to the public eye."

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn