jiangsu

Huishan is a scenic spot in the south of the Yangtze River. Visitors can see the famous Huishan clay figurines almost everywhere when they come to the mountains. It is said that there have been clay figurines in Huishan since the Song Dynasty. After the Qing Dynasty, the production and sales of clay figurines reached its peak. Huishan clay figurine is made of the soil at the foot of Huishan. This kind of soil is not only delicate and tough, but also has strong plasticity, and it does not crack and bends constantly. As early as the seventh year of Zhaoning in the Northern Song Dynasty, Su Shi passed through Wuxi, and there was a poem "The soil under the mountain of Hui Quan is like glutinous rice". Now Huishan clay figurines are made of gypsum, which solves the problem of the shortage of Huishan clay resources. There are roughly 1. Portraits and various animals in the early Huishan clay figurines. The former is sold to Buddhist believers for worship, while the latter is used as children's toys. They are generally 3-7 cm in length: simple in shape, rough and slightly exaggerated, bright and simple in color tone, and strong in contrast, showing a strong local flavor in the south of the Yangtze River. His masterpiece is a pair of boys and girls, that is, clay sculpture big lucky. The two clay dolls, with their heads tied in a double bun, are smiling, barefoot and cross-legged, and embrace animals, which are childish and charming. There is also a local legend about the clay figurine Ah Fu: In ancient times, there were four monsters in Huishan, namely the dragon, the tiger, the smelly giant and the diaoma, which often hurt people and animals and trampled on crops. Later, a pair of twin brothers and sisters who were famous for their power, Afu, went into the mountains to fight with the four monsters, and the four monsters were eliminated. The two brothers and sisters also left the world because of excessive bleeding. People pinched their living images as a souvenir. After repeated creations by artists of past dynasties, Daafu is lifelike, giving people a healthy, happy and beautiful feeling. Huishan clay figurines can be roughly divided into the following categories: hand-held operas, Peking Opera masks, figures and animals, practical toys (such as thermometers or pencil sharpeners), etc. These works are small and exquisite, loved by everyone and affordable, and are the best gifts for visiting relatives and friends. There are many clay figurine shops in the main streets of Huishan-Hengjie and Zhizhi, which have become a well-known "clay figurine street" and receive many tourist groups and tourists from all over the world every day. Huishan clay sculptures are not only supplied to the local tourism market, but also exported to Europe, America and Southeast Asian countries. Huishan clay figurine is a geographical indication protection product.
Reprinted with attribution： https://cnlocality.com/(Chinese Specialty Products)