Wei Lizhong (left) establishes an art scholarship at the Prince's School of Traditional Arts in London, June 28. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

Wei Lizhong, inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage (ICH) woodblock printing and curator of Hangzhou Shizhuzhai Art Museum, set up an art scholarship in London, United Kingdom, to fund students who are interested in Chinese arts.

The announcement was made at the launch of an art exhibition June 28. The scholarship is mainly for postgraduates at the Prince's School of Traditional Arts, a London-based higher education institute founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2004.

Shizhuzhai printing from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, represents ancient Chinese printing in its finest form. Founded by Hu Zhengyan in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the studio was where the colored overprinting technique was invented. The technique marked the peak of Chinese printing and later had a profound impact on the birth and development of Ukiyo-e paintings in Japan.

Wei has spent over 20 years creating woodcuts in the Shizhuzhai printing tradition, which the Ministry of Culture inscribed as a national ICH in 2014. He has given demonstrations of the Chinese art form in France, Switzerland and the United States.

Currently, Wei spends more time promoting than practicing the folk art. In collaboration with the Prince's School of Traditional Arts, he teaches short courses and organizes exhibitions at the school.

"I hope more foreign people can savor the charm of Chinese traditional arts," Wei said.

Wei gives a piece of woodblock printing artwork to HRH The Prince of Wales as a gift in London, June 28. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

Wei instructs a woman in woodblock printing techniques during a short course at the Prince's School of Traditional Arts in London. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]