With the continuous percussion of copper chisels weighing more than two kilograms, smooth ripples were left on the black granite slabs, slowly forming the traces of ships crossing the water, and the images of boats, pavilions and so on gradually became plump. On the morning of the 17th, Fang Shiying, a representative inheritor of the stone shadow carving technique of Hebei provincial intangible cultural heritage project, was working hard to create a picture of the Beijing section of the stone shadow carved "thousand mile canal" in his studio in Wuqiao County, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province. As the fifth generation inheritor of stone shadow carving skills in Wuqiao, Hebei Province, Fang Shiying said that this was the first time he described the ancient bridges, culture and art, scenery and landforms and people's living scenes on both sides of the Grand Canal in the form of stone shadow carving. According to Fang Shiying, stone shadow carving is to use tools such as steel cones and copper chisels to knock on the black stone board, and use "dots" of different depths to outline a vivid black-and-white gray picture with distinct levels. This technique originated in the late Qing Dynasty and has a history of more than 300 years. "Creating stone shadow carvings is like 'embroidery' on a slate." Fang Shiying said that when creating, we should use the strength of the wrist to stabilize the copper chisel. When striking, we should not offset, let alone make mistakes, because there is no way to wipe and alter. While inheriting traditional skills, Fang Shiying continued to innovate, integrating photographic optical effects, strengthening the "divine likeness" of stone shadow carving works, and pushing this skill to a new height. In 2012, her portrait works won the gold medal at the first China intangible cultural heritage traditional skills exhibition. In 2022, Fang Shiying won the title of "Hebei craftsman of the year" in 2022. "In the past two years, with the restoration of the Grand Canal, both sides of the canal have regained their former splendor. Last year, I began to conceive, hoping to 'engrave the long river of prosperity and leave the mark of a new era' through stone shadow carving." Fang Shiying said that she spent half a year investigating the Grand Canal and completed the basic drawing design. At the beginning of this year, she officially began to create the "thousand mile canal map". Fang Shiying said that the "thousand mile canal map" is composed of eight stone slabs, each of which is 60 cm wide and 120 cm long. Eight typical scenes along the Grand Canal, including Beijing Tongzhou, Tianjin Sanchakou, Shandong Taierzhuang and Jiangsu Yangzhou, will be selected to show the style of the canal in different periods, such as the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China and modern times, through different points. At present, the Hebei part of the "thousand mile canal map" has been created. There are artistic images such as martial arts and acrobatics born of the canal, as well as iconic scenery along the line such as Cangzhou Iron Lion. Fang Shiying said that at present, she is carving the Beijing part, and the overall carving is expected to be completed by the end of next year. (outlook new era)