Ni Ren Zhang

Gu Wen Hua Jie, Nankai Qu, Tianjin Shi, China

Realistic clay figurines are a local craft tradition. Ni Ren Zhang (Clay Figure Zhang) is one of the oldest and best known shops in Tianjin—and perhaps even in all of China. Ni Ren Zhang is named for the original artist who transformed clay figurines from casual folk art, mostly meant for children, to a major art form. The figurines are known for their attention to detail and expressive features. The shop is not very large, physically, but its selection is vast. Ni Ren Zhang distinguishes between handmade and machine-made figurines; the prices for the former can be be 10 times that of the latter.

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Realistic clay figurines are a local craft tradition. Ni Ren Zhang (Clay Figure Zhang) is one of the oldest and best known shops in Tianjin—and perhaps even in all of China. Ni Ren Zhang is named for the original artist who transformed clay figurines from casual folk art, mostly meant for children, to a major art form. The figurines are known for their attention to detail and expressive features. The shop is not very large, physically, but its selection is vast. Ni Ren Zhang distinguishes between handmade and machine-made figurines; the prices for the former can be be 10 times that of the latter.

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