China has a tradition of wood carvings that spans centuries. Several Chinese artists continue the art form, but few are as mind-blowing as Zheng Chunhui, in his piece “Along The River During The Quinming Festival.”
The ornately carved sculpture spans the trunk of a 12-foot-long tree. Chunhui was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s longest wood carving.
The piece is over 39 feet long and contains more than 550 individually carved people among the buildings and foliage.
This piece is a replica of the famous Chinese painting “Along The River During The Quinming Festival,” attributed to the Song Dynasty era artist Zhang Zeduan sometime between 1085 and 1145.
There is a long custom of interpreting the famous painting by court artists of each Chinese dynasty.
The piece depicts life in the Song Dynasty in astounding detail.
The piece took Chunhui four years to complete. The Quinming Festival refers to a springtime festival on the 15th day of the spring equinox, so the unveiling of the piece is fortuitous timing on Chunhui’s part.
