Clay sculpture (Miao clay whistle)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: clay sculpture (Miao people's clay whistle)

Applicant: Huangping County, Guizhou Province

Item No.: 346

Project No.: Ⅶ - 47

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Guizhou Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Huangping County, Guizhou Province

Protection unit: Huangping County Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center

Brief introduction of clay sculpture (Miao clay whistle)

Applicant: Huangping County, Guizhou Province

Miao clay whistle is a kind of children's toy created and developed by Wu Guoqing (Miao name "guimie") who is an old Miao artist in zhaiyong village, Jiuzhou Town, Huangping County, Guizhou Province, based on the traditional pottery figurines and clay figurines. There is a blowhole in the lower part of the whistle, which can make a clear sound and is deeply loved by children.

It was formed in 1930s and further developed in 1980s. Wu Guoqing has taught more than 100 apprentices. Individual workshops for making clay whistle are distributed in feiyunya, Jiuzhou town and Chong'an town of Huangping county. The craft has been handed down for more than 80 years. Clay whistle is mainly made by hand, then baked at low temperature, painted and covered with varnish. The Miao people in Huangping are good at modeling animals. There are all kinds of animals in nature, whether they are flying in the sky, walking on the ground, swimming in the water or climbing on trees. There are more than 400 kinds of animal modeling. In addition, the combination of "twelve zodiac", "bullfight" and other works, with the help of a variety of animals interesting look to reflect life, express feelings, reflecting a higher artistic level.

Based on mountains, rivers and folk customs, the clay whistle artists absorbed the characteristics of Miao cross stitch embroidery and women's clothing. First, they smoked the clay whistle with firewood to a dark background, and then on this basis, they used red, yellow, blue, white, green, purple and other colors to make the whistle bright, eye-catching and heavy. It was simple, natural and bright, with the color effect of cross stitch embroidery It has a strong sense of life and distinctive national characteristics. Huangping Miao clay whistle artists are not limited to the objective shape of objects, but are good at capturing and refining their expressions and inner emotions. They boldly use exaggeration, deformation and freehand brushwork, and focus on the special parts of the objects to highlight their characteristics, so that each clay whistle work has both form and spirit, and creates an excellent artistic effect of "between similarity and dissimilarity".

Under the impact of market economy and foreign culture, the production of Miao's clay whistle in Huangping has been greatly affected. At present, there are only more than 100 people who can make clay whistle in Huangping county. Some of the artists have changed their careers, and there are many difficulties in inheritance and development. If they are not protected in time, this rare excellent folk art will be lost and die out.