Retiree in Hunan spends 12 years sculpting renowned Chinese painting

Feng Shuyuan, a retired worker living in Hengyang, Hunan province, recently completed a three-dimensional wooden sculpture of "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival," a renowned ancient Chinese painting that depicts scenery along the Bianhe River in the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127).

The separate components of the sculpture were assembled on the morning of Oct. 15. On the sculpture's wooden base are hundreds of figures wearing various expressions, life-like camels and horses, and structures that show off the traditional architecture of the era.

Feng's inspiration came from a conversation that he had with a fellow passenger on a train in 2004. The passenger expressed his desire to see a 3-D version of "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival" some day.

To make this masterpiece, Feng went specially to Guangzhou to take reference pictures. He also traveled to various cities to obtain his raw materials. The tools Feng used for his sculpture include abandoned graters and saws from the factory where he used to work, as well as needles from around his house.

Before he retired, Feng used to work at a factory for tractor manufacturing. In early 2012 Feng suddenly experienced a cerebral hemorrhage. After that, he had no choice but to reduce his workload.

Feng basically completed the sculpture by October 2013. However, at that time he came across an expected problem. The lacquer Feng had previously used was no longer available, and the sculpture wouldn't be finished in all the same color if he used another lacquer. Feng was therefore forced to refinish the parts he had already lacquered in order to achieve unity in his sculpture's overall aesthetic.

For his next project, Feng plans to sculpt a three-dimensional version of Yuanmingyuan, a resort for the imperial families of the Qing Dynasty, which was pillaged and burned by British and French troops in 1860. He hopes that his works will remind future generations of the importance of history.