Clay sculpture, commonly known as "colored sculpture", is an ancient and common folk art in China folk tradition. In other words, it is a folk handicraft that shapes clay into various images. The production method is to mix a little cotton fiber into the clay, tamp it evenly, knead it into mud blanks with various patterns, dry it in the shade, coat it with base powder, and then color it.
It is made of soil by hand, or plain or colorful, with people and animals as the mainstay. Clay sculpture is commonly known as "painted sculpture" and "clay play" among the people. Clay sculpture originated in Fengxiang County, Baoji City, and is popular in Shaanxi, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Henan and other places.
According to the introduction of the national public service platform of arts and crafts industry, clay sculpture is to shape various figures and animal images with fine mud. Early clay sculptures were unearthed many times in Neolithic sites in China, and then developed mainly in the form of colored sculptures.
The function of clay sculpture can be divided into two categories: religion and folk custom. The former is mainly enshrined in Buddhist temples, while the latter is mostly furnishings and children's toys. On may 20, 2006, it was selected into the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.
Inheriting meaning
Clay sculpture art is a folk art in China. Folk artists can use natural or cheap materials to make exquisite and small handicrafts, which are deeply loved by people. After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, folk colored sculptures won the favor of ordinary people, the most famous of which were clay figurines Zhang in Tianjin and Huishan clay figurines in Wuxi.
It has already gone abroad and become a messenger of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. It has traveled across oceans and has been accepted and loved by more and more countries and people. Although clay sculpture is not based on scientific and technological content, it does add new highlights to your life. Simple, intuitive, real and more "zero distance". The collection time is also very challenging and valuable.