Chinese folk artists use natural or inexpensive materials to create exquisite and delicate handicrafts, which are popular among the people. After the Ming and Qing dynasties, folk colored clay sculpture gained the favor of the common people, among which the most famous are "Niren Zhang" from Tianjin and Hui Shan clay figures from Wuxi.

"Niren Zhang" is a school of folk colored clay sculpture that originated in the north and was founded at the end of the Qing Dynasty. The founder of "Niren Zhang" was Zhang Mingshan, who was born in Tianjin. He came from a poor family and learned to make clay figures with his father since childhood to support his family. Zhang Mingshan was clever and imaginative, often observing various people in the market and different characters in theaters, secretly making clay figures in his sleeve. His clay figures were so realistic and similar to the real people that they became a legend. Zhang Mingshan inherited traditional clay sculpture art and drew nourishment from painting, opera, and other folk arts such as woodblock New Year paintings. After decades of hard work, he created more than one thousand works in his lifetime. His unique art made him famous worldwide, and the people loved his works, affectionately giving him the nickname: "Niren Zhang."

Zhang Mingshan's clay figures include characters from folk stories, roles from novels and operas, images of working people in their daily lives, positive and negative characters. His works have a strong sense of humor. For example, his creation of "Jiang Men Shen" is very vivid. Jiang Men Shen has a total height of only 11 centimeters, and the head is no bigger than a broad bean, but it is an individualistic and repulsive image, clearly presented before the reader. This gangster appears with his hands behind his back, arrogantly puffing out his belly, showing a violent and arrogant look. He looks like a terrifying monster ready to attack at any moment. His bulging neck, face full of killing intent, eyebrows raised, and corners of his mouth down turned, fully portray this tyrant. The portrayal of the negative character by Niren Zhang reflects the exposure and criticism of the evil forces. This Jiang Men Shen is not a portrait, but the form is relatively accurate, and the modeling is skillful and powerful, fully demonstrating the author's high level of realism. Niren Zhang is good at using painting techniques in clay sculptures, making them simple and elegant, rich in decorative interest, and revealing a bright and fresh atmosphere, expressing the moral meaning of abandoning evil and promoting good.

In contrast and complement to the northern "Niren Zhang" is the Hui Shan clay figure from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. The origin of Hui Shan clay figures is very early, and the exact time is now unknown.

Here, during the farming off-season, almost every household makes clay figures, and there has been a saying since ancient times: "Every family is skilled in sculpture, and every household knows how to paint." During the Spring Festival, people carry a tray with their own clay figures and sell them in temple fairs and markets, which is also a source of income for farmers. In the Qing Dynasty, there were professional workshops in Hui Shan with surnames such as Yuan, Zhu, and Qian. The color sculpture master Wang Chunlin made five sets of clay children and presented them, which received praise from Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. During the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty, many clay figures based on operatic themes appeared, which was the most prosperous period in the history of Hui Shan clay figures. At that time, there were more than forty workshops and shops in Hui Shan, and over thirty professional craftsmen. When Empress Dowager Cixi celebrated her sixtieth birthday, local officials presented a set of large hand-painted operatic clay figures called "The Peach Banquet" to the imperial court, and from then on, Hui Shan clay figures became a tribute.

Hui Shan clay figures are divided into coarse goods and fine goods. Coarse goods are toys, made with molds and mass-produced; fine goods are handmade and meticulously crafted. Their themes are mostly operatic characters, or auspicious and protective figures such as spring oxen, tigers, Da Afu, and longevity elders. Hui Shan clay figures are full and concise in shape, with exaggerated heads and emphasized expressions. Craftsmen pay particular attention to painting, with the saying "three pieces of clay, seven parts painting." Common colors include red, green, golden yellow, and blue, with strong contrasts and clear distinctions. If we say that the works of Niren Zhang are fresh and elegant, then Hui Shan clay figures are bright and colorful.

Clay sculpture is a kind of Chinese folk art. It has long gone abroad and become a messenger of Sino-foreign cultural exchange, crossing the ocean and being accepted and cherished by more and more countries and people.