Has China's "doll" ever been on the brink of extinction? Chinese anime IP may become a future opportunity, why Barbie sells over 1 billion dolls | Craftsmanship | Chinese anime

With the release of the movie "Barbie", the once popular Barbie doll has gained people's attention again. In fact, unlike Barbie from the United States, ancient China also had its own dolls and dolls, with a longer history and more exquisite craftsmanship.

So, do you know how doll dolls were born? What unique doll crafts have Chinese people created? What inspirations do they have for today's cultural and entertainment industry?

Ancient dolls can also be "dressed up"

In ancient times, idols with human features generally had strong folk characteristics.

For example, archaeologists have discovered a clay figurine called "paddle dolls" in ancient Egyptian tombs, which are considered one of the mediums used to pursue the next life. In China, from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the functions of dolls were mainly focused on worship and burial.

The oar doll in ancient Egypt may be one of the earliest recorded toys.

As early as this period, the appearance and clothing of dolls had already been included in the aesthetic category. In the Chu tombs of Changsha during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, archaeologists excavated exquisite wooden figurines with exquisite carving, lifelike eyebrows and eyes, and dressed in silk clothes.

In the 5th century AD, due to the need to make deities, ceramic dolls emerged near the Mediterranean and formed a wide trade circle. The structure of dolls also continued to improve and develop, and ceramic dolls began to have movable knee joints.

Later, some Western doll images were introduced to China from the Western Regions and were known as "grinding, drinking, and enjoying". They were well crafted, with lifelike figures, hands, feet, faces, and hair, making them widely popular.

Most of these "grinding and drinking" outfits are exquisitely dressed, some wearing red vests, some wearing blue skirts, in addition to the doll's own clothing matching, there are also other mini outfits for buyers to freely match and "dress up" for them.

Tang Dynasty silk clothing painted female dance wooden figurines in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum collection

At that time, the masters of doll making would also install mechanical devices inside their bodies, such as the Moyule made by the famous craftsman Yuan Yuchang in Wuzhong, which could control their movement through doll mechanisms, such as "their clothing folds and brain fontanelles wriggling according to them.".

In the 14th century, fashion dolls that could be changed emerged in Europe to showcase trendy clothing and engage in formal interactions. After the 16th century, various miniature scenes accompanying dolls began to appear, and dolls began to change their images according to different scenes, further expanding their gameplay.

In the 20th century, with the development of economic globalization, the doll industry began to rapidly rise worldwide, and countries began to create doll brands with national characteristics. In 1959, Barbie dolls from the United States emerged at the New York Toy Fair and have since sold worldwide, with over 1 billion copies sold.

Chinese Barbie, lifelike

In China, there is also a type of humanoid art that uses silk as the main material, metal wire as the bone, cotton as the flesh, yarn as the skin, silk as clothing, and real silk as hair accessories. This lifelike Chinese doll is called the "Beijing Silk Man", which is known as the Chinese people's own "Barbie".

The themes of the silk figures are mostly taken from literary works, folk stories, and mythological legends. The themes and shapes can be divided into historical ladies, opera characters, religious gods and Buddhas, such as Sun Wukong, Mu Guiying, Guan Yu, Mulan, etc., which condense rich traditional cultural elements into specific dolls.

Scholars believe that silk figurines have evolved from traditional figurines and dolls, and their techniques originated from the Tang Dynasty's paper binding. Because paper binding and silk figurines are very similar in craftsmanship, their usage scenarios are mostly folk activities, song and dance performances, and are widely loved by people from all walks of life.

The "Silk Child" of the Song Dynasty can be seen as the prototype of the "Silk Man". Among the various craft items recorded in the "Wulin Old Stories" of Zhou Mi in the Song Dynasty, the term "Silk Child" is listed alongside objects such as "dyeing combs, repairing combs, and sachets". In terms of material and craftsmanship, the silk child at that time had already acquired the basic form of a silk man.

During the Kangxi and Qianlong periods of the Qing Dynasty, the silk figures had become increasingly proficient in materials, production techniques, themes, techniques, and other aspects. The form of the silk figures became more exquisite, not only elegant in posture and delicate in demeanor, but also adjusted their movements and expressions according to different occasions and situations.

In Pan Rong's "Annals of Emperor Jing Sui Shi Sheng", it is recorded that "holding an umbrella, fan, and banner building, wielding a sword, moon, and axe, resembling a living person, beating drums and ringing bells." This describes the vivid and diverse roles of the silk figure during the festive temple. At that time, many literati and literati were fascinated by its magnificent form and called it "Lingmei Ren". Li Hongruo wrote in "Chaoshi Congzai": "I am afraid that in the deep night, I suddenly desire to descend, which makes one dare not marvel at the truth."

The production of silk figures emphasizes "simulation". From character costumes to detailed accessories, from raw materials to production, we strive to be as neat and meticulous as possible, close to reality.

Various Jewelry of Beijing Silk People

Among them, Saixiu is a unique clothing decoration craft of Beijing Silk Man, which plays a key role in the overall style and appearance of the Silk Man. Due to their small size, it was difficult to make needle and thread embroidery on fabrics. Therefore, a special slurry was used to draw patterns on the silk yarn and present an embroidery like effect.

After the Qing Dynasty, silk figurines gradually declined due to factors such as war, and it was not until the establishment of New China that the traditional handicraft of silk figurines was restored under the government's attention. In 2009, Beijing silk figurines were officially listed as intangible cultural heritage in Beijing.

Chinese Dolls, How to Go Global

In recent years, with the popularity of Chinese themed literary works such as Mulan and Kung Fu Panda overseas, the frequency of "Chinese elements" appearing in dolls has also increased. Barbie dolls have once launched the "Chinese style" doll series, which is widely popular due to its obvious Eastern characteristics.

So, can the traditional skills of Chinese dolls be combined with modern popular culture to create Chinese dolls that are both artistic and commercial?

According to data, the cost of a Beijing silk figurine is nearly 1000 yuan, and it takes at least two weeks for skilled craftsmen to complete the production. It is difficult to achieve large-scale mass production, and cost and cycle have become obstacles on the path of commercialization of traditional crafts.

So, can we transform some of the processes of Beijing silk figurines to make them more in line with the standardized industrial production process?

In fact, Chinese brands are already making attempts.

The Tang dolls produced by Beijing "Tangren Fang" have made their own adjustments and innovations based on some of the production techniques of Beijing silk figurines.

They retained the techniques of using a brush to depict the head and face in the production of silk figurines, hand combing and coiling ancient hair buns, and using colored paper to wrap iron wire to make jewelry. They also changed the materials used in the production process, using gypsum and resin to make the head, body, and limbs, creating a series of Chinese style dolls with distinctive characteristics of the times.

Improved version of Tang doll

However, due to the relatively lagging product development and weak copyright protection of domestic humanoid dolls, many cultural and creative toy manufacturers do not have a strong sense of originality in the research and development of dolls.

For example, in 2018, a cultural and creative team launched ancient costume dolls, which were made according to the characteristics of Chinese people. They have black hair, apricot eyes, a wide forehead and a small mouth, and are extremely classical in beauty. Although this product was highly favored by consumers, it was quickly taken down due to its similarity in body design to a foreign toy brand.

Industry insiders say that on the one hand, domestic humanoid doll works often have different styles, complex styles, low cultural carrying capacity, and low correlation between individual products and the overall, making it difficult to leave a deep impression on consumers.

On the other hand, domestic animation masterpieces such as "Nezha's Demon Child Descends", "White Snake: Origin", and "Three Thousand Miles in Chang'an" have emerged, but the character images and resources have not been fully utilized. If the two can complement each other, there will be more possibilities and greater space for the future development of Chinese dolls.