Chinese stone carvers: The dust settles

Picture gallery

Chinese stone carvers: The dust settles

Globe and Mail Update

Published Wednesday, Dec. 07, 2011 2:23PM EST

Last updated Friday, Dec. 09, 2011 5:50PM EST

The town of Dangcheng once drew buyers from around the world for its ornate carvings and statues. Then the global economy slowed.

1 of 8

(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

Surrounded by statues, a woman washes a stone pillar in an outdoor workshop in the town of Dangcheng, 260 kilometers southwest of Beijing. The small town has a history of stone carving dating back more than 2,000 years.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

A sculptor works amid statues of Jesus Christ. Dangcheng's business has fallen off in the global economic slump, and the stockpiled statues of Jesus and Roman busts now outnumber workers.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

Before the global economic slump hit, Dangcheng thrived by cheaply remaking antiquity for international buyers. But orders for its ornate statues, busts and carvings have dropped off.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

Dangcheng is in the Quyang county, which traces its sculpting skills back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD). In 2008, at the height of sales, the county employed 50,000 workers in 2,600 sculpting workshops.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

Angels take shape in an outdoor workshop. Many workers have left Dangcheng, returning to their homes in nearby farming areas to wait until business picks up.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

A woman gives a statue a careful wash to erase the talcum-like dust.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

With three images of Jesus watching over him, a sculptor uses basic tools to work on another block of stone.
(David Gray/Reuters) Hide caption

In an abandoned stone-carving workshop, a bust of the Chinese philosopher Confucius surveys the landscape.

1 comment

More Photo Galleries

A fresh look at Sears

Thursday, May. 24, 2012 5:59PM EDT

New Sears Canada CEO Calvin McDonald is shaking things up in the retailer's suburban markets, updating the stores and copying ‘shamelessly’ from specialty chains in his bid to woo back customers
Ontario-made planes travel the world

Thursday, May. 17, 2012 6:07PM EDT

Diamond Aircraft in London, Ont., saw a sales increase of 33 per cent last year for its single- and twin-engine aircraft. It also has a jet model under development.
Photos from Oxford Beach's 2012 St. Party's Day event

Wednesday, May. 16, 2012 6:00AM EDT

Photos from Oxford Beach's 2012 St. Party's Day event at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto
A non-traditional business takes flight

Tuesday, May. 15, 2012 4:29PM EDT

Joris Brinkerhoff's business provides work for rural residents of Costa Rica and is a case study at Harvard University's business school
Photos: How to shoot great canoeing photos

Friday, May. 11, 2012 1:54PM EDT
In Pictures: Go-Go Gymnastics

Friday, May. 11, 2012 6:00AM EDT

Have a look at Fredericton-based Go-Go Gymnastics Inc.'s mobile gymnastics company
First Nations take their pipeline protest to the top

Wednesday, May. 09, 2012 6:43PM EDT

First Nations groups marched through the corridors of power in downtown Toronto on Wednesday to protest the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline at the annual meeting of the pipeline's sponsor, Enbridge Inc.
Louis Vuitton's store of the year - and its Canadian connections

Monday, May. 07, 2012 6:00PM EDT

Toronto's Eventscape - a fabrication firm whose motto is 'build the extraordinary' - delivers in Singapore
Photos from The Globe's Small Business Summit in Calgary

Friday, May. 04, 2012 6:00AM EDT

The April 25 event in Calgary featured speeches and workshops designed to help entrepreneurs grow their companies
Guitar maker fine-tunes a business strategy

Friday, May. 04, 2012 6:00AM EDT

Craftsman sells his handmade creations throughout Ontario and in the U.S.

More Photo Galleries

More from The Globe and Mail

MOST POPULAR STORIES

MORE TOP STORIES

Add to watchlist

No Security Selected