Heze clay doll maker promotes rural vitalization

[Video by Zheng Deyin and Meng Ziheng for chinadaily.com.cn]

Kang Zhimin, from Chengwu county in Heze city – located in East China's Shandong province – is a high-profile inheritor in making clay dolls.

At the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, Kang's works were presented as a national gift to the wives of political dignitaries from various countries.

Deaf since childhood, Kang was born into a clay doll-producing family and from an early age he showed a special flair for making them. Every figure Kang makes seems alive, achieving the perfect unity of art and life.

In 2017, Kang decided to return to his hometown to start a business and found that the local countryside provided him with a continuous stream of inspiration. In 2021, he cooperated with China Academy of Art to produce dolls that showcase the hard-working, tenacious, upright and brave spirit of his hometown people.

Looking ahead, Kang is striving to expand the clay doll industry in Chengwu county and help drive forwards the development of local tourism. (Edited by Chen Chuxuan)