Egg carving is a traditional folk handicraft that involves engraving intricate designs onto the eggshells of birds. In Qingdao, a city in northern China, egg carving artisan Xie Yishuan has merged this time-honored art form with trendy toy IPs. While preserving the understated elegance and vintage charm of traditional egg carving techniques, he has also infused the craft with the individuality and vibrancy of modern pop culture, endowing egg carving with renewed vitality and a sleek, contemporary flair.

Inside Xie’s studio, display cabinets brim with works carved into a variety of eggshells, ranging from chicken and duck eggs to larger emu and ostrich eggs. Among these pieces are carvings featuring some of this year’s most popular trendy toy IPs.

Xie Yishuan, Egg Carving Artisan:

Art has to keep up with the times and resonate with contemporary audiences. The reason I use these IPs is that they’re super popular right now. When kids spot these IP-themed egg carvings, they’re totally amazed. They’ll gasp and say, “Wow, you can even carve this on an eggshell!” Then they’ll tug their parents over and beg to buy one.

Simple patterns can be completed in a single day, while elaborate works may take half a month or even a full month to craft. In recent years, Xie has focused more energy on innovating the craft; his finished pieces are not only exquisitely made but also incorporate cultural elements unique to his hometown.

Xie Yishuan, Egg Carving Artisan:

We have a collection themed around the Ten Scenic Spots of Qingdao, and another series that blends egg carving with local intangible cultural heritage (ICH) practices. For the Year of the Rabbit, I created a series called “Rabbits in Qingdao.” It featured zodiac rabbit figures holding and showcasing various local ICH products from Qingdao.