Tianjin Clay Figurine Zhang Art Museum

Tianjin Clay Figurine Zhang Art Museum

Tianjin Clay Figurine Zhang Art Museum is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Clay Figurine Zhang art form inherits the outstanding traditions of ancient Chinese clay sculpture, while also developing and innovating upon them. This evolution has brought it from temples and altars into the homes of ordinary people. At the same time, alongside the refinement of folk art and the popularization of classical literature and art, it has advanced folk art by blending refined and popular aesthetics in its creations. Notable figures such as Guo Moruo, Xu Beihong, and Zhao Puchu have praised it through poetry, inscriptions, and writings.

The Clay Figurine Zhang Art Museum is a privately funded gallery established by descendants of the Clay Figurine Zhang family. It houses over 300 sets of outstanding works by six generations of the Clay Figurine Zhang lineage, with nearly 100 of these masterpieces currently on display.

First Exhibition Room

This room mainly displays selected works and historical materials of Zhang Mingshan, the first-generation master of Clay Figurine Zhang.

The first photo shows Chairman Mao viewing Clay Figurine Zhang works in Tianjin in 1957. The second is an exterior view of the workshop at Zhang Mingshan’s former residence, located at the northwest corner of old Tianjin City, dating back to the 1930s. The third is a portrait of Mr. Zhang Mingshan, followed by photos of his son Zhang Yuting, Zhang Yuting’s son Zhang Jingfu, and Zhang Jingfu’s son Zhang Ming. Lastly, there is a depiction of the working scene in the old workshop of the Clay Figurine Zhang family during the 1930s. On the left is Zhang Yuting, responsible for forming the large shapes of the clay figures; next is Zhang Jingfu, who refined and completed the details of the clay forms; and at the front is Zhang Ming, who applied the colors to the figures.

Zhang Mingshan’s father, Zhang Wanquan, was a clerk from Shaoxing, Zhejiang. He followed an official to Shen County, Hebei Province, but after the official completed his term and left, Zhang Wanquan lost his job and eventually settled at the northwest corner outside the old city of Tianjin. He made a living by teaching private school. Many neighbors were potters, so Zhang Wanquan also started making small clay stationery and toys to sell for extra income. Growing up in this environment, Zhang Mingshan was exposed to and developed a love for clay sculpture from an early age.

The first display case features works created by Zhang Mingshan when he was around 11 or 12 years old. The size of the figures and their lack of painted details reflect the characteristics of folk clay sculpture at the time. However, Zhang Mingshan had already incorporated Western artistic techniques, abandoning the traditional style of large heads and small bodies. Instead, he depicted figures with realistic proportions and lifelike detail. Building on this, he integrated painting skills to develop his own sculptural style.

The second display case showcases his signature portrait series, which brought him fame. After gaining recognition, Zhang Mingshan was invited by a prince to stay at the royal residence for two years. During this time, through exchanges with imperial craftsmen, he incorporated elements of court art into his own style.

The third display case contains works from his later years. By this time, his output had decreased and the prices of his works had become very high, so most were custom orders for foreigners to take abroad. Few finished pieces remain, with many being unfinished, uncolored works. Among them, “Mulan Joins the Army” was a custom order made for Empress Dowager Cixi’s 70th birthday by a minister of the Imperial Household Department. It remained unfinished because Zhang Mingshan was dissatisfied with the composition.

Second Exhibition Room

“Zhong Kui Marrying Off His Sister” is a representative work of Clay Figurine Zhang. Legend has it that Zhong Kui was originally a handsome scholar who, on his way to take the imperial exams, mistakenly entered a ghost cave and was mocked by demons, causing his appearance to become ugly. He failed the exam due to his looks and died of sorrow. A fellow townsman who passed the exam spoke up for him, and he was posthumously awarded the title of Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) of Zhongnan Mountain. Zhong Kui’s sister was then married to this friend. “Zhong Kui Marrying Off His Sister” depicts the scene of Zhong Kui seeing his sister off at her wedding.

However, the artist added a procession of figures that are neither fully human nor ghostly, based on the customs of Tianjin at the time. These figures were modeled after real corrupt officials in society. Through this, the artist expressed dissatisfaction with the dark realities of the time. As one of the earlier examples of critical realism, this series was later issued as postage stamps in countries such as Russia and Zaire.

Third Exhibition Room

This room focuses on showcasing the diverse themes of Clay Figurine Zhang works.

Works featuring mythological figures mainly include the widely worshipped image of Mazu in Tianjin, as well as other auspicious figures such as the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Magu Offering Longevity, and the Old Man of the South Pole.

Works based on traditional stories primarily include historical figures, but most depict characters from literary works such as “Dream of the Red Chamber.” Most representative, however, are the pieces that portray real-life themes—such as candy blowers—where the artist used figures from everyday life as subjects. With realistic techniques, these works recorded the living conditions of the lower classes in urban areas at the time. This marked the first time in the history of Chinese sculpture that practical function was set aside in favor of expressing the artist’s emotions through realistic depictions of real people. As such, Clay Figurine Zhang art became a turning point in the history of indigenous Chinese sculpture.

Transportation

Address: Inside the Ancient Culture Street, East Gate Outer, Northeast Corner, Nankai District, Tianjin

Transportation: Take bus routes 1, 1-interval, 4, 5, 609, 670, 670-short loop, 671, etc., and get off at Beicheng Station