The development of figurines in Chinese history parallels that of pottery, arts and culture within China . The Early Neolithic pottery of the Majiayao and Yangshao cultures ( 3,500 - 7,000 BC ) were decorated with painted and inscribed images of animals, fish, people and with the essential day to day items.



The design of pottery for functional use was of the prime concern but, that did not restrict the early designers from incorporating aspects of their lifestyle into the pottery that was produced.

Fishing was an important aspect of the daily lives of the

early cultures and as a consequence it is featured amongst

a number of the early works of the Neolithic Cultures.

Early Figurines ( 220 - 5,000 BC )

Figurines were produced from the very early times from a variety of materials. The first material to be used was clay pottery, as with the Neolithic cultures; This was followed during the transition stage between the Neolithic and Xia dynasty ( 1700 - 3200 BC ) by the use of Jade and by the advent of the Shang Dynasty bronze was a significant feature in figurine and sculpture within China.

The Chinese were not alone in the development of figurines as a part of arts and culture. The Egyptians and Arab states and the Olmec civilization of Central America were also producing figurines and statues during the same periods in history. Some of these statues were produced on a monumental scale such as the figurines of Easter Island and the Sphinx in Egypt.

Figurines were an important part of the lives of many cultures and played a role not only in life but also in death. The Egyptians in particular produced figurines to carry the Pharaohs into the after-life. These took many forms from animals through to figurines of individuals all produced in a range of materials from clay, silver and gold.

The later, Xia Dynastic period saw a jade culture develop within the Hongshan people of Liaoning province in China's north. This was an extensive culture and the ruins unearthed in 1984 covered an area of some 50 square kilometers. The most significant discoveries are those of the jade figurines. Figurines of people, phoenixes, dragons and other animals are abundant within the ruins. The figurines are mostly of " pea green" jade, are smooth and polished showing a sophistication of technique and style. Dating of the figurines from the Hongshan culture places them at around 5,500 BC and coincides with the early beginning of the bronze-age in China.

Jade Dragon Figurines

Jade Figurine Culture

The earliest use of jade in China dates back almost 12,000 years to the very beginnings of the Hongshan culture. These were items used primarily for decoration but by 5,000 BC jade was being increasingly used as a symbol of witchcraft and as an symbol of wealth and social position.

The Shang, Zhou and Warring States Dynasties were characterized by figurines of Chinese folk-law, horses, buildings, dragons and such mystical creatures were to abound.

This would be a tradition that would greatly expand during the Han Dynasty ( 206 BC - 220 AD ). The Han Dynasty saw the introduction of Buddhism to China from the Tibet and this was to have an influence not only upon jade figurines but upon figurines made from all materials, though for the wealthy and ruling classes of society figurines of jade were to be of the greatest value.

The use of jade became a symbol of the gods and of longevity, and was widely use all through the golden periods of the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties. The production of Buddhas from jade remained a feature.

Figurines of The Bronze - Age

Many of the bronzes works dating from the late Xia and early Shang dynasties feature animals and mystical creatures integrated into the design of the individual piece. Some items like wine and water vessels were designed in the shape of animals. The functional figurines were mostly the property of the ruling classes and while they were decorative in design they were not stand alone figurines designed exclusively for their artistic value. The making of figurines purely as artistic items became more prominent through the later Zhou dynasty and by the time of the Warring States period figurines were being made in bronze, as well as from other materials purely as artistic pieces. The Dragon figurine pictured above is from the Warring States Period and is typical of the mystical figurines produced.

The picture below is from the Shang Dynasty and shows how the use of figurines were integrated into the design of the object. This was typical of the period, although this example is more elaborate than most of the works were figurines formed part of the overall design.

Qin & Han Dynasty Bronze Figurines

The Qin and Han Bronze figurines are significant for two reasons. Firstly the scale of the bronze figurines produced at this time was greater than at any previous time and; secondly, with the advent of steel as the principle material for pots, weapons and day to day items and, with the increased popularity of the Celadon porcelain, the use of bronze for such products was replaced by the new mediums.

Still, bronze was continued to be used for products for the royal palace and for the nobles within the society. The Qin Dynasty collapsed in 207 BC after the death of Emperor Qin in 210 BC, the burial site of the "Emperor's army" was unearthed in 1974 and revealed several bronze figures in particular the bronze chariots and horses of the royal household.

The Han Dynasty, the first golden period, was a time of stability across China and was a period where the arts and Buddhism flourished. Despite the increasing popularity of porcelain, bronzes were still produced but the competition from both Jade and porcelain and the high cost of producing figurines from bronze lead to a gradual decline, Even so, some excellent examples of bronze figurines come from this period.

Porcelain Figurines

Clay has for centuries been the medium that has offered the greatest scope of diversity to the figurine maker. From the early Neolithic times the pliability of clay has made it an essential material for the making of everyday items and for the arts of sculpture and figurine making. As the techniques of pottery making developed over the centuries so to did the styles and application of the new ideas. The advent of the agricultural base of society increased the leisure time available to the individual and this had a corresponding impact upon the arts.

Early figurines made from clay were simplistic in nature and lacked the intricacy that was produced by the makers of jade figurines. Clay figurines such as those pictured in the early part of this section were add-ons rather than stand alone figurine.

As the pottery industry developed with an increased knowledge of the raw materials the production of clay based figurines increased significantly. The cost to produce figurines from clay was also a major factor in the increased quantities produced. The use of bronze was almost exclusively for the ruling classes and jade was also an expensive material to work with and increasingly jade figurines became the realm of the religious and ruling classes. The bulk of the population had to be content with clay figurines.

In 210 BC the Emperor of the Qin Dynasty ( 221 - 207 BC ) died. Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, was the first Emperor of a united China. Although his reign was short and to a large extend may well have gone unnoticed had not the remains of is empire been uncovered by accident in 1974 , the Tomb and the clay figurine army that was designed to protect the Emperor in the after life is on a scale that for the period would have represented a monumental task for the figurine makers.

To date, over 7,000 life size figurines, horses, chariots and assorted implements of war have been unearthed from the site only twenty miles from his capital of Xi'an.

The development of glazes of differing colours and the realization that the composition of the clays used were of a silica base brought about the advent of porcelains.

The advances in kiln technology resulting from the bronze age allowed the silica based clays to be fired at temperatures above 1,500 degrees centigrade. This ability to increase the firing temperature of the clay products resulted in a change in the chemical structure of the fired product. Clay in a pure form is an inert substance and retains its shape when heated but, the use of clays that contain silicates transform once the temperature reaches in excess of 1500 degrees. The silica, which is the major component of glass, melts at these high temperatures and the silica fuses with the clay particles and once cooled forms a product that has less porosity and is harder than pottery. High quality porcelain is usually produced at around 2,200 degrees.

Tang, Ming & Tricolor Figurines

Porcelain had several advantages over jade and bronze that ultimately led it to be the main material for the production of figurines. The time required to produce intricate shapes with bronze also requires for complex molds, often consisting of several pieces and jade required special skills and a great deal of patience. Clay is easily pliable, can be shaped quickly, will hold it shape during the drying and firing processes and when combined with glazes especially with colored glaze the results were a product that received a high public demand. This was even more so during the later Han and Tang dynasties when Tricolor porcelain was used extensively.

The three figurines below are typical of style of figurines being produced. The first figurine dates from the early Han Dynasty and the second two figurines are from the early and late Tang dynasty respectively.

Figurine development and the perfection of style and design closely followed that of porcelain manufacture. The improvements in glazes and the optimization of kiln techniques allowed the figurine makers to produce figurines that resembled jade in appearance during the Song Dynasty. Figurines of the late Tang and early Song dynasties were profuse in their diversity and style. Figurines were produced in large numbers and the range of colors used and the variation in technique became a characteristic feature of the period.

By the Ming Dynasty the porcelain makers were producing the classical "Blue and White " porcelains for which they attained unbounded attention. The figurine makers of the Ming Dynasty ( 1368 - 1644 AD ) also achieved a standard of excellence that was unrivaled. The glazes and the attention to detail were hallmarks of the products and some of the finest examples of porcelain figurine were porduced.

Beijing Silk Figurines

The Song and Ming Dynasties saw the development of a new type of figurine," Silk Figurines ".

This new style was a continuation from the development during the Tang Dynasty of paper handcrafts; when birds, animals and flowers were all produced as paper art. During the Song these early beginnings were enhanced by the Northern Song people who formed the base from paper and added clothing made from silk to the figurine. This technique was further adapted during the Qing Dynasty when the base was made from a light-weight gauze and overlaid with delicate clothing intricately produced from very fine silk cloth.

The decline of arts and culture through the Later Qing Dynasty as a result of European expansionism, wars and famine also saw a decline of the style into obscurity. The revival of Beijing Silk Figurines came about during the early 1950's when the Chinese government became concerned about the decline of the arts and cultural heritage of the country. The style has since 1950, regained an element of prestige.

Figurines are today produced in three main styles and types in large quantities for the tourist and domestic markets. The rebirth of the silk figurines and the high quality of the porcelain figurines are the mainstay of the production. Bronze figurines, and replicas of the Chinese bronze age are also a popular product that since 1980 has grown in importance.

Silkporcelain.com supply a range of selected figurines that depict the life style and dress of Chinese women throughout the Dynasties.