XI'AN, July 3 (Xinhua) -- More than two millennia ago, the artisans who crafted the terracotta warriors of Emperor Qinshihuang could scarcely have imagined that their cultural descendants would become collectibles for stressed young people.
Yet in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a clay-sculpture tradition that emerged as substitutes for human sacrifice and symbols of protection in the afterlife, is finding new life in the age of emotional consumption.
In Liuying village, home to the renowned Fengxiang clay-sculpture tradition, artisan Hu Jinwei is reshaping the traditional seated tiger, a folk symbol long associated with protection and good fortune, into a palm-sized figurine with softened contours, pastel hues and a cute appearance.
Once giving rise to the famous warrior sculptures of China's first emperor, the craft of clay figurines is increasingly being reimagined as one creating companions for a generation coping with the pressures of modern life, thereby riding the wave of China's fast-growing emotional economy.
As China's emotional economy gathers pace, traditional crafts once associated with museums and heritage preservation are increasingly being viewed as suppliers of designer toys, collectibles and lifestyle accessories for younger consumers seeking comfort and emotional connection.
"Thousands of years ago, Fengxiang clay figurines were tokens through which people expressed hopes for peace and happiness," said Hu, a municipal-level inheritor of the craft. "Today, they serve as objects via which people find emotional comfort and healing. What has not changed is people's longing for a better life."
Fengxiang clay sculpture was added to China's first national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Hu's father, Hu Xinming, is recognized as a national-level inheritor of the tradition, while Hu himself represents a younger generation attempting to balance preservation with reinvention.
The craft has also enjoyed an international presence. Beginning in the late 20th century, Fengxiang clay figurines appeared at overseas exhibitions and cultural exchanges, reaching markets across Europe, North America and Southeast Asia.
Hu still remembers his father's visit to the United States in 1985 to demonstrate the craft. "He discovered that overseas visitors genuinely loved the figurines," Hu said. "That gave him confidence to continue."
Generations before Hu's, the craft's survival was far from assured.
For much of its history, production remained confined to family workshops in Liuying village. Fragile products, limited distribution channels and modest profits discouraged younger generations from entering the trade. At one point, the craft faced the prospect of gradual disappearance.
The response was a decade-long effort to modernize without abandoning tradition, made by both local government and craftsmen. Artisans experimented with new clay formulas to improve durability, redesigned packaging to reduce breakage during transport and introduced new product lines inspired by the Chinese zodiac and contemporary aesthetics.
New collections feature cartoon-like pets and miniature ornaments designed to fit modern tastes for minimalist, comforting objects.
"As we kept introducing new designs, production expanded and sales took off," Hu said.
While simplifying forms, softening color palettes and reducing the size of the figurines, younger artisans have also preserved traditional techniques.
"Continuous flowing lines are one of the defining characteristics of Fengxiang clay sculpture," said Hu. "Even in our newer collections, we keep that feature because it symbolizes continuity and vitality."
The millennia-old folk art is riding China's emotional consumption boom. According to industry reports, China's emotional-consumption sector has been expanding at an annual compound growth rate of around 12 percent, with the market expected to exceed 2 trillion yuan (about 293.91 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025.
Policymakers have also encouraged the integration of traditional culture into contemporary consumer products. A government action plan released in 2025 called for incorporating Chinese cultural elements into original intellectual-property brands and expanding markets for domestically developed cultural products.
"Traditional crafts carry collective memory and cultural identity," said Lu Xiaoqin, director of the Guangxi research center for ethnic culture protection and inheritance in south China. "Designer toys provide a younger and more accessible language through which these traditions can be experienced and shared, helping cultivate the next generation of artisans while also expanding their future consumer base."
For Hu, the goal is neither nostalgia nor commercialization alone. It is adaptation.
Hu hopes Fengxiang clay figurines can one day enjoy the same everyday appeal as Labubu, the Chinese designer toy that has become a global sensation. ■
