A painted gourd by Li Wenxing from Rizhao city in Shandong province on July 7, 2018. [Photo/IC]

Gourd has a similar pronunciation as the Chinese word "fulu", which means "happiness", and is regarded as a symbol of the Chinese people. The hand-painted gourd, originating in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is now an intangible cultural heritage item of Rizhao city in Shandong province.

Li Wenxing, a gourd painting craftsman, has decorated his house with different-styled gourds, painted with images of the Maitreya Buddha, landscapes and the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. Li only uses a single paintbrush and a plate of color paints — but after no more than half an hour, vivid artwork appears. The commonplace gourds are thereby endowed with spirituality and life, becoming lifelike objects.

Li Wenxing paints on a gourd in Rizhao city, Shandong province on July 7, 2018. [Photo/IC]

The painted gourd has been listed as a city-level intangible cultural heritage, and Li Wenxing is a representative inheritor.

Li fuses traditional Chinese gongbi technique into his creations, as well as local elements of Rizhao city, gaining much popularity.

Li wants more people to fall in love with the folk art of gourd painting, and hopes more people can learn about Rizhao city from his painted gourds.

Li Wenxing shows a gourd painted with a Maitreya Buddha in Rizhao city, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]