Cattle-body painting vitalizes Pu'er folk custom

जन आस्था

असार १२, २०८१

A cattle painted with colorful patterns. [Photo/Yunnan Daily]

"'Trendy Cattle' are here!" Recently, at the 70th-anniversary celebration of the founding of Jiangcheng Hani and Yi autonomous county, a cattle body painting competition garnered significant attention. Artists used their imagination and colorful paintbrushes to turn ordinary cattle into works of art.

Initially, painting bright patterns on the bodies of cattle was a local practice to scare away wild animals and prevent them from attacking the livestock. Over time, cattle body painting has evolved into an artistic activity that continues folk customs. Since 2009, Jiangcheng has been hosting the cattle body painting competition, attracting more than 200 artists from over 10 countries, including China, Laos, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada, to create over 200 vivid cattle body paintings.

"Cattle painting itself is rich in ethnic culture, and our creations are closely related to the regional culture of Jiangcheng, making them a vehicle for promoting and publicizing local culture," said participants Shen Xiugui and Zeng Han, experienced mural painters from Zhaotong. For them, participating in cattle body painting is a new creative experience that requires originality, an understanding of local culture, and adaptation to the dynamic and three-dimensional nature of the cattle.

Currently, Jiangcheng is actively building the brand of cattle body painting, registering trademarks, and designing exclusive logos, slogans, and visual identification systems to enhance the recognition of cattle body painting activities.

In the future, Jiangcheng plans to organize a cattle body painting art festival, offering visitors a visual feast and the opportunity to try their hand at painting.