The Beauty of Boxwood Carving in Linyi

Wood carving tradition has a long history in China. As one of the four major wood types for carving, boxwood has been famous for wood carving in Linyi City of Shandong Province, China. Mr. Peng Xiangxue is a representative of that art from the city.

Influenced by his father, Peng Xiangxue showed great interest in calligraphy and painting from a young age. Soon, the wood-root carving impressed him so much that he followed the profound impact to shape his future. Now he is a renowned artist on wood carving, being called “King of Cicadas”. Combining the different local characteristics and his experiences in different places, Mr. Peng developed his own unique style. His cicada-theme art pieces have been widely praised by the public. He has participated in numerous municipal, provincial and national arts and crafts activities and competitions. And his works have received multiple awards in various competitions.

For decades, Peng Xiangxue has remained true to his love of wood carving, hammering and carving every day. To improve his skills, Mr. Peng went to study on the art in many places, too. The persistence brought clear knife skills, exquisite and delicate works with outstanding texture. Through the year-long hard work and endless exploration, he has incorporated carving techniques from North and South in his minute and elegant works.