Liu Yan from Yizheng City has successfully transitioned her career from being a convenience store owner to a master of stone drawing after years of dedicated efforts.

Initially, Liu rented a 10-square-meter room to open a store. With a passion for painting since childhood and a good foundation, she began learning Chinese painting from a painter, who was her brother's friend she met in 2009.

In 2015, Liu discovered from the Internet that some people were creating paintings on unique stones according to their shapes and textures, forming a new style of painting recognized as an intangible cultural heritage. She then combined her love for painting with stones while seeking advice from experts online. Later, she displayed some of her favorite creations in her store, attracting praise from shoppers in the neighborhood.

Yizheng is a production center for natural pebbles, providing Liu with ample raw materials for her artwork. From her apartment building, she frequently rides her electric bicycle to the nearest pebble site, located ten kilometers away. She explored abandoned sand mines like a treasure hunter, searching for all kinds of stones.

"The essence of art lies in constant innovation. Over the years, I have been integrating the techniques of Chinese painting and landscape painting with stone painting," Liu said.

(Photo credit: the Yangtse Evening Post)

In 2015, Liu's stone crafts gained attention in Yizheng, with some of her works collected by the Yizheng Museum. Supported by the Yizheng Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Liu became an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage.

A volunteer service station was also established in the neighborhood to assist those interested in learning the craft from her, including children and residents. Currently, more than 50 people are studying under Liu's guidance.