Shanxi sculptor brings clay to life

Figurines representing local legends, folk culture are popular with residents in Taiyuan

In an ordinary courtyard in Xiaoyaotou village in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, a series of miniature live-action scenes made using clay sculptures, ranging from nervous children waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine to old men staring intently at a chessboard, are on display.

Sculptor Jia Yinzheng, an arts and crafts master in his late 30s, is the director of these clay stage plays. Locals call his home a neighborhood museum.

A wooden knife is all he needs to bring his lumps of clay to life.

After he's finished, the figures have their own character, mood and stories.

His work is delicate, as he pays a great deal of attention to adding vivid expressions and exquisite details to his works.

Jia's clay figurines represent characters in Shanxi legends and folk culture, which makes them popular with local residents.