{"id":368819,"date":"2026-01-11T00:45:57","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T16:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/?p=368819"},"modified":"2026-01-11T00:46:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T16:46:00","slug":"zhao-xiaoyong-the-chinese-van-gogh-of-dafen-oil-painting-village-in-shenzhen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/zhao-xiaoyong-the-chinese-van-gogh-of-dafen-oil-painting-village-in-shenzhen\/","title":{"rendered":"Zhao Xiaoyong: Der \u201cchinesische Van Gogh\u201d des \u00d6lmalerdorfs Dafen in Shenzhen"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\"\u00d6lgem\u00e4lde<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the entrance of Zhao Xiaoyong\u2019s studio, a short bio sits on display. At the very top, it reads: \u201cThe Light of Dafen Village.\u201d<\/strong>
That title captures both a personal journey and the rise\u2014and reinvention\u2014of one of China\u2019s most famous art communities: Dafen \u00d6lmalerei Dorf<\/strong> in Shenzhen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Dafen Oil Painting Village?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dafen \u00d6lmalerei Dorf<\/strong> is located in Buji, Longgang District, Shenzhen<\/strong>. Starting in the 1980s, it gradually evolved into a specialized \u201cindustrial village\u201d built around oil painting production and sales<\/strong>\u2014especially decorative paintings and reproductions for export markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its peak, Dafen became widely known as \u201cChina\u2019s No.1 Oil Painting Village.\u201d<\/strong> Industry reports and media accounts often describe Dafen as a major global supplier of made-in-China oil paintings<\/strong> for Europe and North America, powered by thousands of painters working at remarkable scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Zhao Xiaoyong?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among the many painters who worked in Dafen, Zhao Xiaoyong<\/strong> became one of the most distinctive figures. Since 1997<\/strong>, his studio has focused heavily on reproducing Vincent van Gogh\u2019s works\u2014especially the iconic \u201cSunflowers.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over nearly three decades, Zhao has painted more than 100,000 Van Gogh replicas<\/strong>, earning him the nickname \u201cChina\u2019s Van Gogh\u201d<\/strong> (also known online as the \u201cChinese Van Gogh\u201d). His name has become a symbol of Dafen\u2019s cultural identity\u2014where art meets craftsmanship, and creativity meets industrial reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Factory Worker to Full-Time Painter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Zhao\u2019s turning point came in 1997<\/strong>, when he was 25. He worked as a skilled technician in a Taiwan-funded handicrafts factory in Shenzhen, earning about 1,100 RMB per month<\/strong>\u2014a decent wage at the time. But he resigned, moved into Dafen with limited savings, and took a leap into uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many young people from rural China during the Reform and Opening era, Zhao came to Guangdong seeking income to support his family. Before entering Dafen, he had already spent nearly a decade doing factory work\u2014from electronics to garments. Yet drawing had been part of his life since childhood, influenced by his father\u2019s talent for lettering and illustrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Van Gogh Order: \u201cSunflowers\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When Zhao first arrived, he had never painted with oils<\/strong>. He learned by self-study, watching other painters and practicing techniques.
Then came his first big opportunity: a batch order of 20 copies of Van Gogh\u2019s \u201cSunflowers.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, Hong Kong art dealers were a key link in Dafen\u2019s export model. Orders came from overseas markets, production happened in Shenzhen, and shipping moved through Hong Kong\u2014a system often compared to the region\u2019s manufacturing \u201cprocessing trade\u201d model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, the \u201cSunflowers\u201d order was initially rejected by a more experienced painter who felt the work was too costly\u2014oil paint was expensive, and the margins were uncertain. The order landed with Zhao, who took it on out of necessity and ambition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scaling Up: The Production-Line Studio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As orders grew\u2014from dozens to hundreds, and sometimes thousands\u2014Zhao built a workshop system that resembled a factory production line<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • standard color palettes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • division of labor (background, main subject, details)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • dedicated quality checks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • training apprentices through intensive repetition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    This method wasn\u2019t about personal expression. It was about survival, consistency, speed\u2014and the demand of a global market that wanted recognizable masterpieces at accessible prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The 2008 Crisis and the Industry Shift<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    For Dafen, 2008<\/strong> became a major turning point. The global financial crisis hit export demand hard. Many workshops faced shrinking orders, rising rent, higher labor costs, and increasing material expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Zhao also observed a broader shift: some overseas buyers began moving production toward lower-cost regions in Southeast Asia, where similar \u201cDafen-style\u201d models started appearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Over time, the pressure pushed Dafen toward a new direction: higher-end customization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cI Must Paint It More Like the Original\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A powerful personal shift began earlier for Zhao. After watching a film about Van Gogh in the late 1990s, he realized the paintings he reproduced daily carried deeper human stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In 2016<\/strong>, Zhao visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam<\/strong> and saw the originals in person for the first time. The experience shocked him: he noticed mistakes in proportion, brushwork, and color that he hadn\u2019t fully understood before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    His mindset changed: not just to replicate, but to improve<\/strong>\u2014to make the reproduction closer to the original<\/em>, with stronger technique and higher standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    From Mass Orders to High-End Custom Oil Paintings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Today, Zhao\u2019s studio is no longer crowded with a large team producing bulk exports. He describes a quieter reality: fewer people, fewer orders, but higher pricing and higher expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Instead of producing three paintings per day, the studio may spend several days on a single piece\u2014focusing on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • improved accuracy and detail<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • richer color control<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • better materials<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • more refined finishing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      This mirrors Dafen\u2019s wider transformation: from export-driven volume to domestic demand + customization + exhibitions + cultural branding<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Original Art vs. Reproduction: A Practical View<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Zhao doesn\u2019t treat reproduction and original art as enemies. For him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • reproduction was about survival, income, and learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • original creation comes from passion and growth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        He notes that many artists\u2014trained or self-taught\u2014move from copying to original work over time. In his view, mastering imitation can also be an achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The Next Generation and Dafen\u2019s Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Zhao\u2019s children are not formally trained artists, but they paint in the studio. Their works may also appear in local galleries or sales spaces. His hope is that they can paint by choice, not purely for survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Meanwhile, Dafen faces generational changes: older painters leave the industry, younger painters arrive (including art academy graduates), but market uncertainty remains. Still, Zhao believes China\u2019s art market is expanding, and hand-painted texture has a value that printed copies cannot replace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Why This Story Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Zhao Xiaoyong\u2019s journey is more than a personal biography. It reflects the evolution of an entire cultural industry:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • from factory-like art production to premium craftsmanship<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • from overseas export reliance to a stronger domestic market<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • from \u201ccopying\u201d as labor to technique as a path toward artistry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          In a narrow alley of Dafen, surrounded by stacks of Van Gogh reproductions, Zhao represents countless painters who shaped this village. He calls himself \u201cordinary and lucky\u201d\u2014but his story has become one of Dafen\u2019s most visible symbols.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          At the entrance of Zhao Xiaoyong\u2019s studio, a short bio sits on display. At the very top, it reads: \u201cThe Light of Dafen Village.\u201dThat title captures both a personal journey and the rise\u2014and reinvention\u2014of one of China\u2019s most famous art communities: Dafen Oil Painting Village in Shenzhen. What is Dafen Oil Painting Village? Dafen Oil […]\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":368820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-368819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-painters-of-dafen-oil-painting-village"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368819\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/368820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dafennet.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}