Many people mistakenly view art rehabilitation as hobby classes. According to criminologist Su Mingyue, art rehabilitation is a standardized management program governed by strict selection criteria, phased goals, rules and assessments.
Cai Xiaoling, director of education and rehabilitation at Shanghai Prison Administration Bureau, told NewsChina that participation in art programs never lowers prison management standards. All inmates abide by identical supervision, labor and daily conduct rules, and art activities are primarily arranged during their spare time.
Ni Lili serves as supervisor of Qingliu Jade Carving Workshop. He earned his degree in gem materials and technology from Tongji University in Shanghai in 2011 and passed the civil service exam the following year to become a prison officer. He used to worry his professional expertise would go to waste behind prison walls until he learned about Qingpu Prison's jade carving rehabilitation program.
Launched in 1994, this initiative was the first of its kind across China's prison system, and Ni's arrival greatly boosted its development. He learned from senior officers, veteran carvers and even skilled inmate artisans to refine his own jade carving techniques.
In its early days, the workshop only handled basic jade processing, and its works gained little market recognition. While honing his own craft, Ni taught inmates professional jade carving theory. He also invited university lecturers and master carvers to deliver on-site lectures. Under his guidance, inmates developed exquisite craftsmanship, creating works defined by fine details, elegant aesthetics and simple, pure styles.
"Jade carving demands total dedication, patience and perseverance to produce fine pieces," Ni Lili said in an August 2025 interview with the Legal Daily. "Inmates are at the lowest point of their lives, often with distorted views of right and wrong, honor and disgrace. Carving jade is ultimately about rebuilding one's inner self." He added that working with noble jade every day helps troubled inmates clear their minds and find a new life direction.
The workshop now has 34 trainees. Ni has helped them overcome technical challenges, secured its membership in the Shanghai Gem & Jade Trade Association, and partnered with leading industry firms to introduce advanced techniques and sustain stable production, raising the profile of the prison's jade artworks.
In 2025, Ni and one inmate were awarded the title of Shanghai-style Jade Carving Master by the Shanghai-style Jade Carving Culture Association. More than 20 inmates have obtained the same title. Their transformation is a remarkable achievement for China's prison art rehabilitation work.
A collaborative award-winning piece titled Mindful Thoughts, created by Ni and an inmate surnamed Li, is displayed at the workshop entrance. Yet Ni does not regard it as his finest work. "To me, the true masterpieces are the released inmates who have turned over a new leaf," he said.
Selecting suitable participants remains a major practical challenge for art rehabilitation programs. Cai Xiaoling said that such initiatives pursue two core objectives: stabilizing the mental state of long-term inmates and equipping them with employable skills. Painting and carving help build focus and self-discipline, while mural painting, which is easier to learn and has more demand, can help released inmates find jobs more easily.
Besides voluntary applications, prison staff screen inmates based on their background, daily performance, sentence and offense type. Young, outgoing inmates can join performance teams, while violent and long-term offenders take up carving training. A peer mentorship system sees experienced participants guide new arrivals. Those lacking talent or interest may opt out.
Overall, art rehabilitation represents an advanced approach to inmate correction. While upholding strict prison safety rules, it gives inmates a chance to restart their lives. As criminologist Su Mingyue points out, officers leading art programs are first and foremost prison personnel proficient in law enforcement and supervision. Art is simply a tool to facilitate inmate education and rehabilitation.
For Su, the more pressing challenge is the shortage of qualified professionals. Only a small number of prison officers have formal art education backgrounds, so most prisons rely heavily on external professionals to run these programs, most of them volunteers.
An official from the education and rehabilitation division of Hunan Provincial Prison Administration told NewsChina that outside instructors usually work on a temporary basis, making long-term program continuity hard to guarantee. In contrast, full-time prison officers with art expertise engage in daily management and rehabilitation work year-round. They are better positioned to observe inmates' behavior, monitor their mental conditions and deliver targeted guidance.
Another fundamental problem is social stigma. Prison staff say social organizations are generally reluctant to participate, forcing prisons to take the initiative to seek external support. This hesitation stems from risk concerns as well as deep-seated public prejudice against offenders. Low social acceptance, and even superstitious resistance to products made by inmates, create further barriers for exoffenders seeking employment.
To expand vocational training, Qingpu Prison has extended its programs beyond craft workshops to include an art troupe, media studio, high-end garment workshop and modern agricultural entrepreneurship park, while actively engaging social partners.
In January 2021, the prison signed cooperation agreements with five organizations across different fields, marking deeper integration with the community.
Li Qiang, Party secretary and warden of Qingpu Prison, said the work-study-employment rehabilitation model serves social stability by linking inmate reformation, social reintegration and post-release employment.
Production work encourages inmates to earn an honest living through labor. Systematic study and training motivates active learning and broadens their horizons. For employment support, the prison helps released inmates assess their strengths and weaknesses, access job and entrepreneurship guidance and develop rational career plans.
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