They thematically presented those things that were important to the average person. Many were a collection of heartfelt expectations of the New Year. Long life, wealth, luck and the wish for sons all appeared as subjects on the prints. Besides being an accurate reflection of the aspirations of common folk, the prints also revealed the rich imaginations of both artist and buyer.
倒是畫棚子裡大量生產的木刻年畫，不但價錢便宜人人買得起，更重要的是，這些色彩強烈、造型拙樸的年畫，所繪題材，全是老百姓熟悉的耕織蠶谷、民間故事，和他們企盼的福壽利祿、吉慶有餘。