Clay Sculpture

Name: Clay Sculpture
ISBN: 9787229135133

张西昌Chongqing Publishing House · ChinaJun 2020

3.7

Word count: 47K words
Chapters: 24
ISBN: 9787229135133

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Summary

Clay sculpture is the oldest art form among China's traditional folk arts. It uses clay as its raw material and is shaped by hand, either plain or painted. Its forms are mainly figures of people and animals. Its subjects include myths and legends, historical stories, novels and romances, opera and folk customs, as well as various auspicious animals and figures. Clay sculpture occupies an important place in the life of the Chinese people and was once widely used in all kinds of folk activities and daily life—praying for children and fulfilling vows, household worship, warding off evil and guarding the home, entertainment and play, and decoration. In a format combining text and images, this book gives a detailed introduction to the historical origins and evolution of Chinese clay sculpture, the regions where different schools spread, their techniques and their respective artistic features. With clear highlights, lucid narration, a large number of fine illustrations and accessible language, it is a good cultural reader that popularizes and promotes the art of Chinese folk clay sculpture and is suitable for the general public. As the author has devoted years to the field of folk clay sculpture, the book is very rich in material and its narration and assessments are fair and to the point; it has both the qualities of a popular reader and considerable academic value, and is of great help in understanding and appreciating Chinese folk clay sculpture.

Editor's review

Zhang Xichang's Clay Sculpture is a work of craftsmanship that combines academic depth with cultural warmth. Unlike the common craft-technique illustrated books on the market, this book adopts the perspective of a cultural scholar to systematically survey the historical threads, regional schools and cultural connotations of Chinese clay sculpture art. The author, Zhang Xichang, an associate professor at the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts who has long been engaged in intangible cultural heritage research, writes with both academic rigor and deep affection for folk art.

The book's most praiseworthy quality is its "living" mode of writing—it does not treat clay sculpture as a static artifact or specimen but interprets it dynamically within specific folk life, belief systems and community transmission. The comparative analysis of representative schools such as Huishan clay figures, Clay Figure Zhang and Fengxiang clay sculpture is especially fine, revealing how different regional cultures shaped distinctly different artistic styles. The author's recorded interviews with clay sculptors and accounts of their creative journeys inject vivid vitality into this traditional craft.

In today's world swept by the tide of digitalization, this book reads more like a deep meditation on "the value of the handmade." It explores not only how clay gains form and spirit through human hands but also touches on the survival difficulties and possibilities for transformation of traditional crafts in contemporary society. The large number of precious photographs and field-survey materials collected in the book give it important documentary value.

Reading this book requires a certain patience, because it refuses superficial appreciation and instead invites the reader into a complete cultural ecosystem. This depth may surprise readers expecting a simple tutorial, but for those who truly wish to understand the core of Chinese folk art, it is a precious key.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers interested in Chinese folk art and cultural anthropology
Teachers and students in sculpture and craft-related programs at art academies
Cultural workers engaged in intangible cultural heritage safeguarding
Literature and art enthusiasts seeking a deep understanding of the cultural connotations of traditional crafts

Not a good fit for

Beginners who only want to learn clay-sculpture-making techniques
Readers seeking light, casual reading

Reading tips

It is advisable to first browse the book's images to form an intuitive impression, then read the chapters in order.
While reading, you can look up related images of actual objects for the schools mentioned in the book to aid understanding through comparison.
Pay particular attention to the discussion of contemporary transmission in Chapter 6, and reflect on the modern transformation of traditional crafts.

About the publisher

Chongqing Publishing House China · Founded in 1950

Chongqing Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles in the humanities, social sciences, literature and arts, with about 940 books in its catalogue. Its publishing areas cover world history, science fiction, foreign literature, architecture and philosophy. Representative titles include Xiang Da's A History of Communications Between China and the West, Liang Sicheng's Rules of Qing-Style Construction, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest and III: Death's End, Ann Rand's The Fountainhead (25th Anniversary Edition), and Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. Its authors include Xiang Da, Liu Cixin, Liang Sicheng and Ann Rand. The press has developed distinctive strengths in historical source editing, the introduction and creation of science fiction, the translation of foreign literature, and architecture and philosophy titles, balancing scholarly value with general readership. As public information is limited, this profile outlines its publishing directions based only on the books in the catalogue.

版权信息
民间泥塑的历史概说
民间泥塑的类别及基本工艺
（一）泥塑类别
（二）基本工艺
民间泥塑的生活功用
（一）宗教信仰
（二）吉祥祈愿
（三）教化功用
（四）赏玩意趣
民间泥塑的代表性种属
（一）北京泥塑
（二）天津泥塑
（三）河北泥塑
（四）山东泥塑
（五）山西泥塑
（六）河南泥塑
（七）陕西泥塑
（八）宁夏泥塑
（九）青海泥塑
（十）江苏泥塑
（十一）浙江泥塑
（十二）广东泥塑
参考书目

FAQ

Does this book teach detailed step-by-step clay sculpture making?

The book focuses on cultural interpretation and historical survey, not on technique tutorials. Although it describes some craft features, its main aim is to understand the cultural context rather than to provide practical instruction.

Which regions' clay sculpture art does the book cover?

It systematically discusses more than ten representative schools, including Wuxi Huishan, Tianjin Clay Figure Zhang, Shaanxi Fengxiang, Henan Xunxian, Shandong Gaomi and Beijing's Lord Rabbit, and also touches on clay sculpture in ethnic minority areas.

Is the book's academic nature hard to understand?

The author's style is plain and the examples are rich, so ordinary readers can understand the core content. Some chapters involve academic concepts, however, and readers completely new to art history or folklore are advised to pair the book with basic introductory reading.

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About the author

张西昌 Author

Public information about Zhang Xichang is currently limited, and his writing centers mainly on food and local culture. Three of his works are included here: Narrating Things: Guanzhong Food Talk (two volumes), Mountain Household Flavors, and Clay Sculpture. Judging from their subjects, he pays attention to the foods and local products of the Guanzhong region and to the homely tastes of mountain villages, and he is good at placing food back into the concrete regional life and everyday experience, so that his writing carries the dual sense of food writing and cultural observation. Clay Sculpture shows that his attention also extends to the field of folk crafts. On the whole, his writing emphasizes the texture of lived life and local memory; his language is plain and he attends to details and observations, giving him a fairly distinct personal orientation in the subjects of food culture and folk crafts. His books should appeal to readers interested in regional food and traditional handicrafts.