Silk Figurine

Silk Figurine

　　Beijing specialty — the silk figurine, is a type of artistic human figure. Folk cloth toys such as “needle pricks” and “colored pricks,” among other handicrafts, are closely related to it. It draws inspiration from historical ladies, dramatic characters, and ethnic dance poses in Chinese folklore. Craftsmen create lifelike three-dimensional figures through more than ten delicate manual processes including sculpting, painting, costuming, props, and headdresses. Its head and hands are made from silk floss, and from head to toe, inside and out, it is crafted using premium-quality silk and gauze — hence the name “silk figurine.” The Beijing silk figurine is a unique folk art form of Beijing, a human-shaped figure primarily made of silk, a traditional national handicraft with a history of over a thousand years.

　　       Specialty Culture: In ancient times, various handicrafts were popular in Chinese folk culture, made from bamboo and paper. As early as the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), colored pricking was prevalent in rural areas of southern Fujian. Initially, paper was used to create various birds, beasts, flowers, birds, fish, and insects. Later, it depicted widely circulated opera stories and myths, made into lanterns displayed everywhere for public viewing. Over time, this lantern-making craft gradually evolved into the art of colored pricking. According to *The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor*, during the Northern Song Dynasty, folk artisans could cut silk into human shapes, tailor garments from brocade, and fashion colorful human figures. By the Ming Dynasty, the craft of making silk figurines was still practiced among the people.

　　       During the Qing Dynasty, figures of the Old Man of Longevity and the Goddess Magu were crafted from silk, satin, and gauze, along with longevity peaches and noodles, as gifts to celebrate birthdays. Unfortunately, the craftsmanship of making silk figurines was once lost.

　　       The rebirth of the Beijing silk figurine came in the mid-1950s after the founding of New China. When China was invited to participate in an international doll exhibition in India, the Ministry of Culture assigned the task of creating exhibition pieces to comrades Ge Jing’an, Li Peifen, Du Chongpu, and others via the All-China Women’s Federation. They gathered materials from all sources, refined their concepts repeatedly, and within two months successfully produced five works depicting minority women, which were timely sent to the exhibition and well received. Later, the Beijing Artistic Human Figure Research Group was established, producing many new works. These silk figurines embody the spirit and national style of New China. In terms of materials, foreign dolls typically use plaster powder, clay, and wood for the heads, whereas Beijing silk figurines are made entirely from Chinese silk and gauze, from head to toe. The facial features, costumes, and expressions of the figures fully reflect Chinese aesthetics. Also, because the primary material used to shape the figures is colored silk, they are called “Beijing silk figurines.”

　　       Specialty Identification: Beijing silk figurines are exquisitely crafted, featuring diverse expressions, vibrant colors, and elegant styles, holding high value for appreciation and collection. Made with lead wire as the skeleton, cotton and paper wadding as the flesh, silk gauze as the skin, real silk as the hair, and painted silk as the clothing, these dolls are sculpted through more than ten processes including molding, carving, painting, and sewing. They draw inspiration from Chinese folklore, traditional operas, classical ladies, and stage design, ultimately resulting in vivid, lifelike three-dimensional doll figures that seem ready to come to life.