China
14:48, 05-Feb-2018
They're rocking it: Students in rural China turn stones into splendid artwork
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What can a cobblestone be used for?
For most people, it may be just a decoration for garden paths. But for students in a remote village in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, it is a medium to acquire happiness and confidence by painting on it.
Children from the Lengdun Primary School in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture recently received a special gift ahead of the approaching Spring Festival – a down coat in return for their exquisite art works.
Bao Chunlei, an art teacher at the school, came up with the idea after he learned about an online philanthropic campaign.
Bao and his students collect stones for painting. /Photo courtesy of Bao Chunlei
Bao and his students collect stones for painting. /Photo courtesy of Bao Chunlei
“Most of the students are from impoverished families and are thinly dressed in winter. Some even wear sandals in freezing cold days. So I think it’s significant to get something useful for them with their own works,” Bao told CGTN.
Bao, 29, started teaching his students to paint on cobblestones five years ago after he noticed they often collected them from nearby rivers.
Stone portraits made by Bao and his students. /CGTN Photo
Stone portraits made by Bao and his students. /CGTN Photo
“The children lead a very tough life. I just hoped their spiritual world could be different,” said Bao, adding that he has been surprised by their painting skills.
The works cover a wide range of subjects – cartoon images, portraits, the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and some other objects like cars.
Stone portraits made by Bao and his students. /Photo courtesy of Bao Chunlei
Stone portraits made by Bao and his students. /Photo courtesy of Bao Chunlei
“In the beginning, they could only paint some simple things on the cobblestones. Then they gradually created something complicated by taking advantage of the shapes and lines of different stones,” Bao continued.
The creative stone paintings are getting increasingly popular and more kindhearted people are showing their willingness to help the pupils. Bao said he hopes this can be an incentive for the children to work harder, not only on painting, but also on other subjects.
Bao and his students show their painted stones. /Photo courtesy of Bao Chunlei
Bao and his students show their painted stones. /Photo courtesy of Bao Chunlei
Bao also teaches Chinese language in the small school with some 260 students. He just won an award for Chinese rural teachers set up by Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group.