Coal carvings are folk craftwork originating from the ancient town of Datong, the production location for coal in China. The raw materials for coal carvings are dug from the mines 300 meters from the underground. They were formed during the Jurassic period, 140 million years ago. Coal is neither humid nor dry, neither soft nor hard. The folk craftsmen carve the coal in reference to items of interest, such as the historic Yungang statues, Liaoning Huayan sculptures, Henshan ancient temples, nine-dragon screens of the Ming Dynasty, famous paintings at home and abroad, and figures of leading individuals. Craftsmen mainly use shadow carving and relief carving techniques to create coal carvings, turning the craftwork into a special artistic style of smooth lines and vivid images. Many people are fond of coal sculptures and like to present them to their friends.