Taishan Peach-Wood King

Taishan Peach-Wood King grew up at the foot of Mount Tai in the late Qing and early Republic, the family having carved peach wood for generations. Peach wood has long been held in Chinese folk belief to ward off evil, and Tai'an, rich in peach trees from its mountain setting, gave its craftsmen a living in carving. Today it is led by the ICH inheritor Wang Laixin, who keeps the four classical techniques alive beneath the mountain.

Taishan Peach-Wood King is known for its grand and intricate carving; its cloisonné peach-wood ruyi is a representative craft of Shandong provincial intangible heritage, the brand entered the first "Haopin Shandong" list in 2022, and in 2024 it was recognised by the Ministry of Commerce as a Chinese time-honoured brand.

Its carving is shaped to each piece of timber, working in shallow relief, deep relief, raised relief and openwork to fashion ruyi sceptres, ornaments, fans and pendants, with motifs drawn from dragons, phoenixes, pixiu and symbols of fortune, uniting precise knife-work with the peach-wood's age-old meaning of protection and good luck.

Taishan Peach-Wood King is a Chinese time-honoured brand (recognised in the 2024 third batch); its peach-wood carving craft is a Shandong provincial intangible cultural heritage item.