Man turns red corn kernels into creative artworks in SW China's Yunnan

Imaginative paintings created with red corn kernels by a village official in southwest China's Yunnan Province have gone viral online. The artist, Ning Si, is the first Party secretary of Xuanhe village in Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city.

Ning Si creates a painting using red corn kernels in Xuanhe village, Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County)

Ning, 42, is a lecturer at Pu'er University. In June 2025, he became the first Party secretary of Xuanhe village. In his spare time, he has been exploring ways to use his skills to raise the village's profile and introduce it to a wider audience.

The video screenshot shows a painting made by Ning Si using red corn kernels in Xuanhe village, Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province.  

In December 2025, during the red corn harvest, Ning began experimenting with using the kernels as paint, creating artworks that reflect the essence of rural life, showcase the village's scenery, and share its charm with the outside world.

The video screenshot shows a painting made by Ning Si using red corn kernels in Xuanhe village, Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. 

He collected freshly harvested red corn from local villagers and began creating artworks on the ground at the entrance of the villagers' committee office. In one piece celebrating the harvest, he creatively arranged specialty agricultural products such as tangerines, walnuts and Yunnan-style dried beef in a bowl, with the Chinese characters "Xuanhe" at the center.

The video screenshot shows a painting made by Ning Si using red corn kernels in Xuanhe village, Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. 

The video screenshot shows a painting made by Ning Si using red corn kernels in Xuanhe village, Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. 

Ning said each red corn painting takes six to seven hours to complete. To date, he has created over 20 pieces, depicting scenes of rural life and figures from classical works.

The video screenshot shows a painting made by Ning Si using red corn kernels in Xuanhe village, Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan Province.