By Chen Ziqi

A documentary Masters in Forbidden City published by CCTV, let many people pay attention to cultural relic restoration work. One young man called Yi Wuwei in Nantong, does ancient calligraphy and painting restoration work. A few days ago, the reporter interviewed Yi W uwei, he was restoring a batch of Ming and Qing dynasty court water and land paintings for National Library of China.

Yi Wuwei was born in east workshop in Nantong Tangzha in 1987. Since childhood, he has been curious about traditional things. He not only has a lot of interest in calligraphy, painting and Chinese seal, but also is curious about Beijing opera and Kun opera. When he went to university, he chose art appreciation and art work market course which was close to his interests.

‘The first time I restored cultural relics officially was in 2009. I participated in sorting of He Xiangning’s paintings of He Xiangning art museum.’ Yi Wuwei said, in a few years he restored more than 400 paintings.

‘In the past, very few people knew about our profession and very few people worked in the industry.’ Yi Wuwei said that, now many schools have cultural relic restoration course, and more and more students love the job.

Most traditional skills succeed by watching, listening, talking face to face, without unified standard. In the past few years, the state has promoted traditional skills standard. As one of the draftsmen, Yi Wuwei got the standard of calligraphy and painting restoration skills project. It is the first standard of calligraphy and painting mounting industry, also the first standard since foundation of National Palace Museum Standards Institute.

Before restoration

After restoration

Yi Wuwei working