(Photo provided to Xinhua Daily)

Bai Yu, a teacher at the Communication University of China, Nanjing, has attracted much attention for her creative designs at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Outstanding Animation, Comic and Illustration Exhibition that opened on April 2 in Hong Kong.

Inspired by the legend of Chinese New Year's Eve, Bai’s works tell the story of “Nian”, a brave young boy who helps villagers drive away a monster creature, which is designed with elements of the cloth tiger, a craft recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Bai said that this illustration series originated from her feelings of nostalgia during her studies in the United States. She has seamlessly integrated Spring Festival traditions and intangible cultural heritage elements, including fish lantern from Shexian County, Anhui Province, and Quanzhou City’s puppetry, and pagodas adorned with blue and white porcelain patterns.