Chinese Dragon in Folk Art: Egg Painting

Zhao Wei, a representative inheritor in Xicheng District of Beijing for the intangible cultural heritage of egg painting, employs her exceptional painting and carving skills on eggshells. Using eggshells as her canvas, she integrates Chinese zodiac papercutting into her creations.

“Everyone is eating eggs, but no one realizes how many layers the eggshell has.” Zhao Wei, by dissecting the eggshell, discovered that it actually has four layers: “The first layer is in red color, the second layer carries the color of sesame paste, the third layer is white powder, and the fourth layer is a membrane.” With this discovery, Zhao came up a unique skill of carving both sides of an egg.

In this episode, viewers are privileged to witness Ms. Zhao's live demonstration, showcasing her intricate drawing of a papercutting dragon on delicate eggshells. She adeptly blends the artistry of papercutting with traditional Chinese painting techniques.