YINCHUAN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- After wheat is harvested, farmers normally use the discarded wheat straws for feeding their cattle or composting. But, contrary to the usual practice, a couple in Liupan Mountain, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, are creating artworks out of this waste product.

Weng Guosheng, 52, lives in Changcheng Village of Pengyang County. The village is renowned for its Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) Great Wall and beautiful terraced fields, and is on the national list of traditional villages that need protection.

The terrace fields is also an important theme of Weng's wheat straw patchwork.

Weng follows a series of steps to create his art. He first dyes selected straws with different colors. He then cuts them into various lengths in certain patterns and sticks them onto a piece of canvas. Last but not least, he carefully irons the patchwork to make it vivid with clear layers.

"The ironed 'painting' feels like silk and looks gorgeous with a bright metallic luster, but few would believe these artworks are made of ordinary wheat straws until they see up close with their own eyes, Weng said, adding -- on a lighter note -- that it was initially even hard for him to believe.

Pengyang was once an impoverished county due to frequent drought and fragile ecology. Most natives used to feed on wheat because the crop is cold and drought tolerant. Like the old generations, Weng had to live on the wheat field to earn his tucker. After getting married, he migrated to work in cities.

In 2015, Weng chanced upon a wheat straw painting on the internet. It instantly evoked his childhood memories of learning paper-cutting and making patchwork pictures from his grandmother and mother. That winter Weng used some of his savings to buy a computer and started learning wheat straw patchworks by himself.

"When the construction site [where he worked] shut down during the winter, I enjoyed my time off creating artwork," Weng said.

Weng's wife Qi Guoxiang did not approve of his new "hobby" at first until Weng completed his first wheat straw artwork -- a peacock. "It was a lifelike art, I was surprised. So, I began to learn the skill together with my husband," she said.

As the country's battle against poverty gained steam, and Pengyang was lifted out of poverty, the couple came up with the idea of returning home and starting their career as wheat straw artists.

Weng grows wheat and harvests them carefully with reaping hooks while other villagers use machines. After drying and dyeing, they scrape the layer of wood off the straws with a blade.

Wheat straw artworks featuring historical figures, landscapes, animals and flowers are on display in the workshop that the couple built in their yard. Weng and his wife are now affectionately called "straw painting couple" by the people. Their efforts have heralded an artistic aura to this remote mountain village.

Weng can "paint" anything with wheat straws as long as he is careful during the ironing. "Straw catches fire easily, so I have to be fully focused to avert any fire-related damages," he said.

With the help of the local government, the couple has attended trade fairs to market their artworks. Many people mistook their artworks as embroidery at first sight, which, nevertheless, made the couple proud as they deem the misunderstanding a compliment to their work.

Weng's wheat straw patchworks have become increasingly popular and are selling well, generating a total income of over 30,000 yuan (about 4,640 U.S. dollars) last year. This July, he won a big order from a souvenir shop owner in Shapotou Scenic Area in Zhongwei, a desert tourist destination in Ningxia.

Liu Le'niu, the shop owner, placed an order for more than 1,000 patchworks featuring elements such as river, desert, sunrise and sunset, as well as camels.

"I was born in a remote village. When I was a child, wheat straws were used for cooking or feeding cattle and sheep," Liu said, adding that he had never imagined straws could have anything to do with art.

"I believe that the artworks with local flavors will be popular among tourists," he said.

To create more patchworks and also pass on the skill to young generations, Weng has planned to recruit some apprentices. He was invited to teach straw painting in a local vocational school for an annual pay of 40,000 yuan.

"I was born a farmer, and I'd never thought that I could become a teacher someday. All thanks to the wheat straw," Weng said. "In fact, the straws also have many other usages such as in modeling sculpture. I will continue to explore its artistic value." Enditem