Clay Figurines
Clay figurines represent another type of folk
art in China. They are much liked for their vivid and amusing
expressions and, for this reason, make good indoor decorations
and welcome presents between friends.
The principal material for making these figurines
is porcelain clay. Though this is found in most localities
of China, the best is supposed to be that at Huishan Mountain, Wuxi.
Normally, when people talk about clay figurines in
China, they tend to think of those made at Huishan. Indeed, the earth
from the paddy fields of the surrounding area is very fie and sticky,
containing little sand. Moulded into figurines, it needs no firing but,
after being dried I the shade for 3 or 5days, is ready to be painted
on. The finished products are very durable and will not crack in may
years to come. Apiece of work takes about half a day to complete, depending
on the size and complexity.
The moulding of clay figures in China seems to have
a come form a long tradition. It is said that Sun Bin,
famed strategist of the state of Qi who lived in the 4th to 3rd century
B.C. during the Warring States period, in order to break an enemy formation,
used clay figures for mock exercises. Because of this legend, Sun Bin
had been regarded as the founder of the craft. Legend aside, the art
can be traced in written history at least 400 years back to the Ming
Dynasty. It was an age when Buddhism flourished in China, and an increasing
number o pilgrims came to visit the temples on Huishan Mountain. In
the vicinities of the hill began to appear handicraftsmen
who had moulded clay into images of the goddess of Mercy, the God of
Longevity and other deities to be sold to the visitors. Later on, the
subjects became expanded to include toys, dramatic and everyday characters,
plump babies and clownish figures. The clay figurines were sold as they
were moulded, and many shops thrived on them.
Sharing the fame with Huishan in this field is a family in the northern
port city of Tianjin, Niren Zhang (the Zhang family
of clay figurine moulders) has been in the trade for four generations.
They specialize in figures of popular tales and classical novels and
are renowned for the drama and life they give their creations. They
have also portrayed in clay men in various trades at different times,
reflecting social life as genre paintings do. The family regarded as
a pride of the city of Tianjin, is also know abroad.
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