The predecessor of watermark woodcut creation originated from the original printing and woodcut technology in China. Before technologies such as lithograph and lead printing were introduced, almost all printing in China used watermarks. Carve pictures drawn by artists from wooden boards and use them to print illustrations in books. This technology has been popular from the ancient Sui Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the social economy was stable and prosperous, which created good conditions for the development of arts and crafts culture. During this period, woodcut art ushered in greater and better development. Woodcut watermark has reached a high artistic level, giving full play to the artistic characteristics of color rhyme ink. Some classic woodcut watermark works have left indelible marks in the history of Chinese art.
Moreover, the watermarking technology in China is also the source of the development of Japanese representative ukiyo-e prints. After liberation, the development of watermark woodcut art is more diversified. The inheritance of an art depends on enough attention and popularity in the eyes of the public. Only by not being forgotten can we continue to develop. We have a lot of exquisite handicrafts and intangible cultural heritage, which are lost or endangered because of lack of attention and failure to seize opportunities in this rapidly changing era.
Therefore, if we want to carry forward the watermark woodcut today, we must find a suitable way to let this art formally enter the public's field of vision. For example, using this skill to make some popular film and television dramas or prints of cartoon characters will attract the attention and interest of young people. To develop, a thing must absorb the young blood it really loves.