A particular kind of Chinese painting is arousing increasing interest--modern folk paintings, or "farmers' paintings" as they have been called.

From the name, one can guess that they are the work of farmers, fishermen and herdmen--the art of laborers. Painting in their leisure time, the folk artists use watercolors, gouache and poster colors to present the beautiful things they discover and experience in their work and daily lives.

Taking root in the rich soil of China's age-old tradition of national and folk arts, these paintings have inherited popular folk traditions. Free from any kind of affectation, they are simple and naive, lively and brightly-colored , condensed and exaggerated.

They use the techniques of traditional folk arts in paper-cutting, embroidery, carving and New Year painting to present modern life and to create a new artistic form which is neither a copy of Western painting nor a reproduction of original Chinese folk arts.

The emergence of "farmers' painting" dates back to the late '50s when a few rural colonies of folk artists were formed as a result of mass cultural activities. Jinshan County near Shanghai is one of them. Now, there are more than 40 " painting colonies" throughout the country. Sponsored by the State, local mass art centers and cultural centers provide folk artists with places to work and the assistance of professional artists.