New Year Picture, also called “Nian Hua” in Chinese, is one of the unique traditional paintings in China. It is a kind of Chinese folk craft which boasts decorative and appreciative values of Chinese people. It is also the reflection of Chinese history, faith and culture.

The history of New Year Pictures can date back to the period of the Han Dynasty (202BC~220). Its original form was a picture of a door god. Later, in the Song Dynasty (907~1279), New Year Pictures was popular and widely spread. During the period of the Qing Dynasty (1636~1911), it was formally known as the New Year Picture.

The four famous New Year Pictures respectively comes from Tianjin Yangliuqing, Suzhou Taohuawu, Shandong Weifang and Hebei Wuqiang. The subjects of the New Year Picture are divided into several categories: secular lifestyle, historical fictions, myths and legends. Among them, Legend of the White Snake, God of wealth have been prevailing across China for a long period of time. Famous pictures like “Surplus Every Year”, “Fat Baby” are also quite popular.

Regarded as the symbol of Good luck and happiness, it is usually updated once a year just as its name suggests. People usually paste it during the Spring Festival, meaning “say goodbye to the past and welcome the future”.