Xi’an, China, is a world-famous ancient city. She attracts the eyes of the world with her thousands of history civilization. Qinshihaung Terracotta Warriors, the Wild Goose Pagoda, Forest of Steles and the lofty city wall all tell us magical and ancient legends. In south west of Xi’an, about 38 kilometers away, there is a county-Huxian which is named “the county of Chinese folk painting in modern times”. She adds an important art to this ancient city with her bright and colorful peasant paintings.

HuXian is a suburban country which has a population of 500,000. Now, people like to call her the hometown of paintings. This is not only because this place is as beautiful as paintings but also because nearly everyone in this place like drawing. But most of them are peasants. What’s more, they achieved in drawing. Their paintings go out of Xi’an, go out of Shanxi and go to the world. At Huxian, mentioning peasant paintings, people will think of Fenglan Li, Zhide Liu, Zhihua Fan, Zhigui Liu, Jinglong Wang and so on. Under their leadership, over 2,000 professional peasant painters are emerging in Huxian. Taking pickaxe in one hand and taking brush in another hand, they draw many beautiful pictures. They draw lands, crops, their pigs, dogs, cattle, sheep, their courtyard and their life. In someone’s eyes, peasants are the synonym of ignorance. Thinking of them, what we think of first is their black face, hands with callus and slovenly clothing. It is difficult for us to connect them with the art of painting. But if you think so, you are absolutely wrong. Only you see them with your own eyes, you can really feel the peasant paintings’ charm and appreciate the peasant painters’ elegant demeanor.

The peasant paintings of HuXian were given birth from the traditional paper-cut, embroidery and other folk arts. They were born in the 50 years of the twentieth century. And from the 70 years of the same century, they continued to be improved, created and ripe. Then they went out HuXian and went to China and the world. So HuXian has become the one of the most impacted hometowns of peasant paintings. What’s more it was awarded as the representative of the China Country Construction. In 1998, HuXian was named “the county of Chinese folk painting in modern times” officially.In over 40 years, the peasant paintings of HuXian achieve a lot. The accumulative total is more than 30000pieces works, including 1500pieces which were published on the national publication, 428pieces which were awarded in the home exhibitions, more than 4500pieces were invited for exhibition to 48 countries and religions, more than 18700pieces were collected by international friends and overseas museums. Huxian peasant paintings are taken to thousands of families in China, the Great Hall of People, and the overseas families or public places. It is even presented to the foreign leaders as rare gift. The residence of the former president hangs a piece of peasant painting of HuXian. The peasant paintings of HuXian are a miracle. They take thousands of people by storm with their unique charm. It is undoubted that they have taken a place in the palace of Chinese modern art. The peasant painting is the most brilliant page in the history of HuXian, Xi’an of China.