Give Up Cheng Du

Traditional Chinese Woodblock Print of a Peking Opera Scene

This vibrant Chinese New Year woodblock print, known as Nianhua, illustrates a dramatic scene from the famous historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Titled Rang Chengdu, or The Surrender of Chengdu, the artwork portrays performers in elaborate Peking Opera costumes, heavy face paint, and traditional theatrical headdresses. The central figures are captured mid-performance inside a palace setting, framed by rich purple and red curtains, surrounded by decorative auspicious symbols scattered across the background.

Artistic Details and Cultural Symbolism in Nianhua Art

The print features intricate folk art details, including multiple swastika symbols representing good fortune and peace in Eastern tradition. In the lower-right corner, a distinct cartouche bears the workshop mark Bei Xin Cheng, indicating the historic publishing house responsible for its printing. The dynamic composition uses a bold color palette of magenta, green, and deep black, showcasing the classic graphic styling characteristic of regional Chinese opera prints from the late Qing Dynasty period.

Note: The piece was produced collectively by artisans from the prestigious Bei Xin Cheng folk printing workshop, a traditional Chinese publisher whose individual printers rarely signed their works with their own names.