Tianjin Clay Figurine Zhang Art Museum

　　The Clay Figurine Zhang art form inherits the outstanding traditions of ancient Chinese clay sculpture and has developed and innovated upon them, bringing it from temples and altars into the homes of ordinary people. At the same time, through the process of refining folk art and popularizing classical literary and artistic forms, it has advanced folk art, resulting in works that blend both refined and popular artistic characteristics. Figures such as Guo Moruo, Xu Beihong, and Zhao Puchu have praised it through poems, inscriptions, and writings.

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

　　First Exhibition Room

　　This exhibition room primarily displays some 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, from 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, it shows the working scene of the old Clay Figurine Zhang workshop in the 1930s. On the left is Zhang Yuting, responsible for creating the basic form of the figures, next is Zhang Jingfu, who refined the clay shapes, and in the front is Zhang Ming, who painted 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 office, Zhang Wanquan, now without employment, settled at the northwest corner outside the old city of Tianjin. He made a living by teaching private school. Many of his neighbors were potters, so Zhang Wanquan also started making and selling small clay stationery and toys to supplement the family income. Growing up in this environment, Zhang Mingshan became interested in clay sculpture from a young 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 sculptures of the time. However, Zhang Mingshan had already incorporated Western art techniques, abandoning the traditional large-head-small-body style and instead portraying figures in realistic proportions. Building on this, he integrated painting methods to develop his own sculptural style.

　　The second display case showcases his signature works—the portrait series. It was through these that he gained fame. After becoming well-known, Zhang Mingshan was invited to stay in a prince’s mansion 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, he produced fewer pieces, which were also very expensive, so they were often custom-made for foreigners to take abroad. Few finished works remain, with most being unpainted semi-finished pieces. Among them, “Mulan Joins the Army” was a custom order by a high-ranking official of the Imperial Household Department for Empress Dowager Cixi’s 70th birthday, but it was left unfinished due to Zhang Mingshan’s dissatisfaction with the composition.

　　Second Exhibition Room

　　“Zhong Kui Gives His Sister Away in Marriage” is a representative work of Clay Figurine Zhang. Legend has it that Zhong Kui was originally a handsome scholar who, while on his way to take the imperial exams, mistakenly entered a ghost cave and was mocked by the demons, causing his appearance to become ugly. He failed the exam because of his looks and subsequently died. A fellow townsman and friend, who passed the exam, spoke up for him, and he was posthumously honored as a scholar of Zhongnan Mountain. Zhong Kui’s sister also married this friend. “Zhong Kui Gives His Sister Away in Marriage” depicts the scene of Zhong Kui seeing off his sister on her wedding day.

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

　　Third Exhibition Room

　　This exhibition room focuses on showcasing the various themes of Clay Figurine Zhang’s works.

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

　　Works based on traditional stories mostly depict figures from literary classics such as *Dream of the Red Chamber*. Most representative, however, are works themed on real-life subjects, such as “Blowing Sugar Figures.” The artist used figures from his own surroundings as subjects, capturing the lives of lower-class urban residents with realistic techniques. This marked the first time in Chinese sculpture history that practical functions were set aside, aiming instead to express the artist’s emotions through realistic depictions of real people. Thus, Clay Figurine Zhang art became a turning point in the history of native Chinese sculpture.

　　Transportation

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

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