The 12th China (Kaihua) Root Carving Art and Culture Festival kicked off in the Root Palace Buddhist Cultural Tourism Zone in Kaihua county, Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on Nov 26.

The event featured a photo exhibition tracing the 40-year creative journey of root carving master Xu Guqing to show his profound dedication to the art of root carving. The 9th China Root Carving On-Site Creation Competition kicked off during the event, and root carving artists from across the country demonstrated their skills over the course of four days.

Kaihua has hosted eight editions of the Root Carving On-Site Creation Competition and related international root art exchange activities, leaving behind numerous exquisite root carving works in the Root Palace Buddhist Cultural Tourism Zone. The event also included themed exhibitions to further display exquisite root carving works to the public.

According to the China Arts and Crafts Association, Kaihua root carving is set to be featured in art events in France, Russia, Germany, Uzbekistan, and various other countries in 2025.

The Kaihua root carving industry is flourishing year by year, with over 30 key root carving enterprises employing over 2,200 people and producing over 300,000 root carving works annually, with an output value exceeding 200 million yuan ($27.65 million).