Eight-year-old Wang Chang has been learning sand painting and animation for two years in a studio in Taiyuan in the north of China. She can now create her own work.

"I think sand painting is quite three-dimensional. I love painting with sand. It’s so exciting," said Wang Chang, a sand painting learner.Meng Yifang is Wang Chang’s sand painting teacher. She has taught about fifty children in the last three years.

"I enjoy teaching very much. We all like to play with sand when we're children. Here my students can display their imagination in sand paintings. It makes them relaxed and happy.” said Meng Yifang at art-m sand animation.

Meng Yifang says more people are becoming interested in the art and she will soon expand her studio. Another local sand animation training studio targets adult learners.

"The art of sand painting and animation is no child's play. In fact, many adults are also interested in this art form. Some of them are even learning how to become sand animation teachers and performers.” sain Hu Chao from Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

The sand animation teacher here says he’s trained more than four hundred adults in the last four years.

"More Chinese people know about sand art now. It’s being performed on many occasions, including company’s annual parties, weddings and birthday parties," said Qiao Luwei, a teacher at Yiqiao sand animation.

Some learners say they hope to express Chinese culture through this art form.

"It’s not just my hobby. I can teach more international students in our university. And let them know more about Chinese culture. I think it’s pretty good," said Fu Wanning, a sand paniting learner.