Detailed Product Description

specifications

1. traditional folk art with long history
2. famous for abstract colour and shape
3. mature techniques and beautiful exaggeration
4. vividly reveal the real life
5. totally handmade of clay

As a chinese saying goes, the three wonders of Fengxiang are the willow around East Lake, the Xifeng wine and the workmanship of the people. Fengxiang is famous at home and abroad for its crafts of flok art,especially the painted clay sculpture. With a history of more than 1000 years,the clay sculptures express the artists' own ideas of their real lives and vividly resemble what the artists experience in daily life. The true folk art reflect the taste,customs and legends of the ordinary people.The lively design, various pattern and gorgeous colouring contribute a lot to the uniqueness of Fengxiang painted clay sculpture. what draw more attention are the positive attitudes towards life, the distinctive art style and the cultural deposits they show through this long history folk art. People regard the painted sculptures as symbols people's hope of good fortune and their best wishes for future, and they think the painted clay sculpture can keep the evil spirits away and bring them the ideal life they want.

The well known artist Huxinmin is our cooperator and provides us painted clay sculptures in best quality, special style and beautiful colour. One of his masterpiece "Sheep" was selected for the series Lunar New Year stamps published in 2003. He was highly appreciated for his live demonstration when invited to Hongkong, the USA, Japan, Paris,and some other area. the UNESCO awarded him the title of " Chinese folk arts master".The beautiful painted clay sculptures were given as presents to Klinton in 1998, the Prime Minister of Belgium, the president of Russia and several other celebrities all around the world. These art crafts are exported to Asian, Ameirica, and Europe with good reputation.

Rat is the first animal in the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, which stands for quick-witted mind and flexibility. It is said that all animals are racing to get to heaven to get the honor to be the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. The ox gets up the earliest and runs as fast as he can, which makes him the first during the racing. When he is almost reaching the final line, the Rat past him and rushed to the final line to be the first of the twelve. The fact is the Rat hided himself on the Ox before the racing starts, and jumped out when the Ox has almost reach the final line. So the Rat stands for intelligence while the Ox stands for diligence.

here is another interestiong story about the Rat: it is said that before the racing, the Cat and the Rat are close friends for years. Both of them wanted to be selected to be the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. the Cat said that he runs fast, but he loved sleeping so much that he was afraid he couldnot get up early enough for the racing. He asked his friend the Rat to wake him up before the racing, ang the Rat agreed willingly. But before the racing, the Rat is too excited to remember to wake up his friend. He just hided himself on the Ox and was taken to the heaven secretly, leaving his friend the Cat sleeping soundly at home. after the racing, all the twelve Chinese zodiac signs are selected. they came back from the heaven happily, and the Cat woke up only to find out the fact that he didn't even get a chance to go for the selection because of the rat. He resented his old friend for not waking him up as agreed before, and that is why the Cat chase the Rat after that for a explanation of his not waking up the Cat.

these clay sculpture of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs are packed in a gift box like the picture shown above. it is a beautiful gift for family and friends, especially to children who love stories. what can be a better gift than a set sculptures of cute animals in exotic style with so many interesting stories?