Chang Benyin – Inheritor of Folk Clay Sculpture Artistry and Color Painting Skill in Wuhua District, Kunming
Early Life and Training
Chang Benyin (常本寅), born in 1926, is a master artisan of folk clay sculpture and color painting from Wuhua District (昆明市华山南路), Kunming, Yunnan. He is of Han ethnicity (汉族) and currently resides at 17 Buzhu Lane, South Huashan Road (昆明市华山南路布珠巷17号). His family hails from Hexi Qijie, Tonghai County (通海县河西七街), where they were known for their handicraft production. At the age of four, Chang moved to Kunming with his parents, and the family supported themselves through the production of clay sculptures, color paintings, and paper cutting, all skills that Chang would eventually inherit.
Chang grew up learning these crafts from his father, Chang Xinren (常鑫仁), who was a skilled artisan. By the age of 15, Chang Benyin had already mastered techniques in soil lacquer, color paper-cutting, color painting, and clay sculpture. His formative years were spent alongside his father, who imparted both simple and advanced skills to him.
Mastery and Career Development
After the death of his father at the age of 20, the responsibility for supporting the family fell on Chang Benyin’s shoulders. In 1947, at the age of 21, he was commissioned to restore the Maitreya Buddha and Weituo statues at Songhua Temple (松华寺) in Fumin County. His work received great praise from the temple’s head monk and the local worshippers, marking the beginning of his successful career in religious art restoration.
In the 1980s, Chang was involved in the restoration and color painting of famous scenic spots in Kunming, such as Xishan (西山), Daguan Tower (大观楼), Yuantong Temple (圆通寺), Caoxi Temple (曹溪寺), and Heilongtan (黑龙潭). His contributions to the maintenance and beautification of these important cultural sites helped cement his reputation as a respected artisan in the region.
Recognition and Legacy
Chang’s work garnered attention in the 1980s, and he was featured in reports by the Yunnan Daily and the provincial television station. He was also interviewed by CCTV, which helped further increase his visibility as a prominent artisan in Kunming.
Today, Chang Benyin has passed on his knowledge and techniques to his children and grandchildren, ensuring that the traditions of clay sculpture and color painting will continue for generations to come.
