Yutian Clay Sculpture

Yutian Clay Sculpture

Yutian clay sculpture is a national intangible cultural heritage.

　　　　Yutian County is located in the eastern part of Hebei Province, at the southern foot of the Yanshan Mountain Range, nestled within the central area of Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan. It got its name from the legend of “ancient people planting jade.”

　　　　Since its formation during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, Yutian clay sculpture has a history of more than 100 years, having gone through several phases including incubation, formation, prosperity, rescue, revival, and development. In the early 1960s, Yutian’s folk clay sculpture was in a mature and flourishing stage of dissemination, with clay sculpture stalls lining the market for nearly a mile, forming a “clay figurine street.” Merchants traveling between Beijing, Tianjin, and the northeast eagerly purchased them.

　　　　Since its rescue and revival in 1986, Yutian clay sculpture has seen innovation and development. In December 1993, the Ministry of Culture officially named Yutian County as the “Hometown of Chinese Folk Art (Folk Clay Sculpture).”

　　　　Yutian clay sculpture comes in a wide variety and rich content. By sound, there are mouth-blown types; by charm, there are hand-operated types; by category, there are four major types: mythological stories, birds and animals, traditional opera figures, and scenes of daily life. Among these, the mouth-blown type includes over 350 varieties, while the hand-operated type includes over 80 varieties.

　　　　Yutian folk clay sculpture has, over its long history of transmission, developed an inheritance system originating from Liu Kai (1870–1961) of Daijiatun in the southeastern part of Yutian County. It was then passed down to his son Liu Junxiang (1909–1973), his grandson Liu Guangtian (born 1947), and Wu Yucheng (1934–) of Xigaogao Village.

　　　　Yutian folk clay sculpture holds an important position in the Beijing-Tianjin-Ji region and is widely acknowledged by experts and scholars. Its academic value is second to none among Hebei’s clay sculptures. Excavating, rescuing, and protecting Yutian clay sculpture will enrich and complete the history of Chinese folk clay sculpture. Its practical value contributes positively to boosting Yutian’s economic prosperity, enriching the cultural life of the people, and building a harmonious society.

　　　　Yutian clay sculpture works have had a wide influence both domestically and overseas. In February 1987, Wu Yucheng and Liu Guangtian gave live performances on Hebei Television. In 1990, Liu Guangtian’s works were exhibited at the China Arts and Crafts Museum and received acclaim from experts. Liu Guangtian’s representative work “Little Lion Playing with a Brocaded Ball” and Wu Yucheng’s representative work “Riding a Donkey to Visit Mother-in-law” were both selected for the “Extraordinary Chinese Folk Art Exhibition” hosted by the Ministry of Culture, attracting many clay sculpture enthusiasts to observe and learn. Yutian clay sculpture enjoys great renown in the capital.