Future of Huishan clay figurine in jeopardy

A craft shop owner in Wuxi shows visitors two kinds of clay figurines that have the same design but different qualities. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Huishan clay figurine has enjoyed a rich and long history as it is known for its high quality and delicate art work. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006; however, passing this intangible heritage on to the next generation is now in jeopardy.

The Wuxi Huishan clay figurine factory, which has served as the base for the clay figurine, is now strapped with sales concerns as cheap copycat figurines are slowly flooding the market. Due to the recent gloomy sales volume, workers at the figurine factory are now receiving lower wages.

In an effort to pass the figurine on to the next generation, the local government organized a master class on two separate occasions. However, most of the students since have chosen to pursue other fields instead of working at the clay figurine factory. As artistic skill and talent plays a great role in the inheritance of any intangible cultural heritage, the passing on of this particular tradition has become a serious problem.

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