鬃人白：“民间艺术最怕做滥”

“北京鬃人”始创于清朝末年，距今已有一百多年的历史，是受皮影戏和京剧影响而产生的，这一独特的绝活结合了京剧文化、物理学和力学的概念。
“Beijing Maned Figure” was originated at the end of Qing Dynasty and now has a history of over 100 years. It came into being by borrowing the elements from the Shadow Play and Peking Opera. The distinctive art combines the concepts of Peking Opera culture, physics and mechanics.
鬃人高约9-16厘米，用秫秸杆做身架，外绷彩纸（或色绸）外衣，并絮少许棉花，头和底座采用胶泥脱胎，底座粘一圈约二三厘米长的猪鬃，依据人物故事勾画脸谱，描绘服饰便制作成一个生动的鬃人。只要轻轻敲打铜盘的边，靠猪鬃的弹力，盘中的人物便会舞动起来。老北京也称它为“铜盘人”或“盘中戏”。
The maned figure is about 9-16 cm high. The body is made of sorghum straws dressed in costume made of colored paper (or colored silk). The inner side of the body is filled with some cotton. The head and base of the figure use the plaster with the perimeter of the base pasted with 2 to 3 cm-long bristles. The face of the figure can be made into that of different figures in stories. After decorating the costume, it will become a vivid maned figure. Striking the side of the copper plate, the figure on the plate, due to the elastic force produced by bristles, will dance. The Beijing people in the past called it “figure on the copper plate” or “on-plate play”.
为还原这个百年民间工艺的制作过程，记者走访了当下京城惟一制作鬃人的民间艺术家“鬃人白”——“北京鬃人”传承人白大成。
To understand how the century-old folk art is made, the journalist interviewed with Mr. Bai Dacheng, who is the only folk artist making the maned figures and the inheritor of “Beijing Maned Figure”.

北京鬃人产生于清代末期
Beijing maned figure was originated at the end of Qing Dynasty
白：具可考证历史，鬃人产生于清代末期，距今有100多年的历史。鬃人的形象多来自于中国戏曲，属于中国民间艺术范畴。早期鬃人受京剧和皮影戏的影响，人物主要来自于京剧，形体则主要受到皮影戏的影响。鬃人是锥体的形体，胳膊扁平，中间有个铁丝，胳膊能摆动，跟皮影是一样的；在铜盘内表演的时候，跟戏曲人物打仗一样。
Mr. Bai: The traceable history shows that the maned figure was first made at the end of Qing Dynasty over 100 years ago. The image of maned figure often comes from the Chinese operas. As a result, the maned figure belongs to the scope of Chinese folk art. In early days, the maned figure was influenced by Peking Opera and Shadow Play. The characters of maned figure are those in Peking Operas and its shape was mostly influenced by that in the Shadow Play. The maned figure has the cone-shaped body with flat arms. In the middle of the maned figure is an iron wire so that the arm can move just as the characters in the Shadow Play. When performing on the copper plate, they are just like the fighting characters in the opera.
鬃人是所有中国民间艺术品中唯一有动态的。泥人、面人、毛猴等属于静止欣赏的。鬃人既可以静观，又可以拿过来作玩具来玩。
Of all the Chinese folk art works, the maned figure is the only dynamic one. The Clay Figure, Dough Figure and Hairy Monkey can only be appreciated in the static posture. But the maned future cannot just be enjoyed statically, but also played as toys.
我去学习鬃人的制作是上个世纪50年代末，在王汗青先生“王记鬃人”的基础上已是第三代传人了。鬃人艺人为了生存，讲究独家制作，王记鬃人也不例外。在当时的北京，“鬃人王”已经有一定的知名度了。
I began to learn how to make maned figure at the end of 1950s. Mr. Wang Hanqing is the second-generation maker and I am a third-generation one. The maned figure artists, to ensure their living, often keep the production skills a secret. So do the Wang-family makers of maned figure. At that time in Beijing, the maned figure maker Wang had already had some fame.
王记鬃人的服装用彩纸来做，头部用泥。这样的制作工艺让王记在寻常百姓家比较常见，成为百姓都买得起的玩偶。
The Wang-family maned figure had the costumes made of color paper and the head made of clay. Such production process ensures their products to be affordable by the common people.

“鬃人白”师承“王记鬃人”
The maned figure maker Bai learned the skill from the Wang-family maned figure makers
白：鬃人传到王汉青先生那里不过是第二代。上世纪50年代，北京刚刚解放，战乱时期民间艺术受到比较大的冲击。以前艺人卖这些艺术品都在老的庙会里，隆福寺、白塔寺、土地庙等庙会，但那会儿受战争影响，换不回钱来，王老先生就不做了，改行修理无线电收音机，以此为生。可以说，在那个时候，鬃人的制作已经断档了。
Mr. Bai: Actually, Mr. Wang Hanqing was the second-generation maker of maned figure. In the 1950s when Beijing was just liberated, folk arts had been impacted seriously by the wars. In the old days, the artists sold these art works mainly at temple fairs such as those in Longfu Temple, Baita Temple and Temple Housing the God of Earth. However, due to the wars, they could not get money by selling these art works. So Mr. Wang decided to quit and started to live on repairing radios. As a result, the production of maned figure came to a pause at that time.
到了1955年，中国美术馆的李寸松先生挖掘北京的民间艺术，曾找过王汉青先生制作鬃人。我1959年在航空工业学校上学，因身体缘故休学在家。我从小受家里影响，喜欢京剧，会画画，国画油画书法都懂，手也比较巧。偶然的机会由街坊介绍，认识一位会做鬃人的李老先生。他是一位鬃人的爱好者，教我制作鬃人，前后时间不长，大概一个多月。后来李老得了青光眼，做不了了，我又通过亲戚介绍认识了李寸松先生，经他介绍认识了“鬃人王”王汉青先生。我经常拜访他，去向他请教鬃人的制作方法，同时也就继承了王氏鬃人的制作特点。
In 1955, Mr. Li Cunsong from the National Art Museum of China probed into the folk arts in Beijing, and he once came to Mr. Wang Hanqing and asked him to make the maned figure. In 1959, I asked for leave from Aviation Industry School due to some health problem. Nurtured by the family, I loved Peking Opera, Chinese paintings and oil paintings. Besides, I am also skilled in making handicrafts. Accidentally, I was introduced by a neighbor to a Mr. Li, an elderly man who made maned figure. He taught me how to make maned figure for about a month. Later on, my teacher suffered glaucoma and could not teach me any longer. Then my relative introduced me to Mr. Li Cunsong, who showed me to Mr. Wang Hanqing known as the “Maned Figure Maker Wang”. I often visited him and asked him about how to make maned figure. As a result, I have inherited the skills of making Wang-family maned figure.

创制“华丽、动感”鬃人
Making the gorgeous and dynamic maned figure
“鬃人白”一炮打响
“Maned Figure Maker Bai” gained his fame overnight
白：了解王氏鬃人的整体制作特点后，我就开始改造原有的制作工艺。我想让我的鬃人在表演起来能更接近舞台。从制作材料上，我开始用丝绸制作人物的服装，（以前用彩纸，颜色不能持久）鬃人服装更华丽，颜色更鲜亮。同时鬃人的脸谱与行头也都照着现实京剧舞台的样式加以改造，包括鬃人手持的兵器等等。另外我给鬃人加上了“腿”。前代鬃人的身体是一个“锥体”，我制作的鬃人是有腿的，就有了上代鬃人所没有的“动感”元素在里面，可以表现中国京剧中“亮相”这一姿势。这让我的鬃人更接近舞台表演与剧情，也就更接近舞台了。
Mr. Bai: After knowing the features in the production of Wang-family maned figure, I started to reform the original production process because I wished my maned figure being more suitable for stage performance. First, I began to use the silk to make the figure’s costume (in the past, the color paper was used whose color could not last long). As a result, the maned figure’s costume got more bright color and produced more gorgeous impression. At the same time, I also reformed the facial mask and accessories on the maned figure by borrowing elements from the Peking Opera stage in reality, including the weaponry held in the hands of the maned figure. Besides, I also installed “legs” on the maned figure. In the past, the body of the figure was nothing but a cone and now I gave legs to it. So the maned figure made by me was dynamic, which could make the first pose on the stage as the characters in Peking Opera do. With these reforms, I had made the maned figure closer to the stage performance and the story.
“鬃人王”、“泥人张”、“面人汤”等等，都是老百姓对民间技艺的一种认证。以前的艺人是通过庙会出售自己的艺术作品，顾客就经常用这种艺术品的名字加上民间艺人的姓作为一种称谓。1959年我开始学习制作鬃人，正式得到政府的批准来制作是在1960年。那个时候在中国美术馆的美术服务部有一个柜台是我的。
Such titles as the “Maned Figure Maker Wang”, “Clay Figure Maker Zhang” and “Dough Figure Maker Tang” actually represent the common people’s recognition for folk arts. In the past, the art makers sold their works at the temple fairs. So the customers would name these artists by calling the names of the art and their surnames. In 1959, I started to learn how to make maned figure and my production was approved by the government in 1960. At that time, the Art Service Department in the National Art Museum of China had a counter for me.
1964年，鼓楼恢复了庙会，请了当时各种民间艺术做一次大的展示表演活动。那个时候我的鬃人就受到了北京老百姓的关注，尤其是一些“老北京”。但不久后开始的“文革”又使得鬃人这门民间艺术陷入困境。
In 1964, the Drum Tower resumed the temple fair. Many folk artists were invited to make a large-scale performances. Since then, my maned figure had been given attention by Beijing people, in particular the elderly people who had lived in Beijing for years. However, the art of maned figure had some difficulty because of the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution.
改革开放后，我的鬃人是最早接触市场的民间艺术，吸引了各国来宾的喜欢与关注。 1985年我帮着筹划了地坛庙会，组织了很多艺人表演，我自己也参与其中，渐渐地，鬃人又走入人们的视线当中，慢慢地，“鬃人白”这个名号就叫响了。
When China adopted the policy of reform and opening-up, my maned figure was the first Chinese folk art sold in the market, which was immediately loved by the foreign visitors and tourists. In 1985, I helped to plan the temple fair in the Temple of Earth and mobilized many artists to give performances including me. Gradually, the maned figure began to be seen again. And my title as the “Maned Figure Maker Bai” also gained more popularity.

国外受追捧
Popular in foreign countries
“鬃人白”走向世界
“Maned Figure Maker Bai” known by the world
白：改革开放，作为民间艺人，我接触外国人是比较早的。我的思想比较开放，也没有什么局限。
Mr. Bai: After China adopted the reform and opening-up policy, I was among the first folk artists to contact foreigners because I have an open mind and are not limited by old thoughts.
1996年我应邀访问以色列，参加了以色列国际博览会，这是独一无二的民间手工艺术博览会，请了很多国家的手工艺者。在耶路撒冷老城的一个广场上，每天有成千上万的人进行民俗与商业的交流活动。同时也让我认识了世界上许多的手工艺形式与艺人们，这让我的眼界得到了极大开阔。第二年我就形成了策划中国自己的民间手工艺节这个想法。
In 1996, I was invited to visit Israel to attend the International Expo, which is the sole international expo specialized in folk arts of handicrafts. The Expo was attended by handicraftsmen from many countries. On a square in the old Jerusalem, thousands of people gathered to have exchanges or sell their products. I had the opportunity to know many handicraft forms and handicraftsmen in the world, which widened my vision greatly. In the following year, I came to an idea of planning the Chinese festival of folk arts and handicrafts.

1997年的11月份，我策划了中国民间手工艺周，由北京电视承办，举办了一届。那个时候我很希望中国能通过各种的交流活动扩大自己的影响。资金是商家赞助的，电视台给予了宣传，艺术家通过这个平台进行交流，一举多得。那个活动是公益性的，现在的展览则多以展销会为主。那次我邀请了中国的“泥人汤”、剪纸、雕刻人像等民间手工艺的代表艺人。南非（当时还没建交）、墨西哥、日本的民间艺术家们也都来了，虽然人数不是特别多，但这个活动在当时很受欢迎。
In November 1997, I planned the Chinese Folk Art & handicraft Week, which was organized by Beijing TV. At that time, I hoped China could expand her influence by means of exchanges of all kinds. The fund came from the business and Beijing TV helped promote the festival. The artists had exchanges on the platform so many parties benefited from it. That event was for the public interest. However, today many exhibitions are organized to sell products. I invited the “Clay Figure Maker Tang” and representative artists and handicraftsmen in paper cutting and carved figure. A small number of folk artists from South Africa (not establishing diplomatic relations with China by that time), Mexico and Japan also came. The festival made a sensation at that time.

值得一提的是，法国十分关注中国的传统艺术。我有个法国朋友吉莱姆，知道鬃人以后就四处打听，最后通过法中友协找到了我。我根据他们的要求为他们制作了好多个具有中国戏曲特色的鬃人作品，同时也推荐了一些具有北京特色的民间艺人。
It is worth noting that France gives great attention to traditional Chinese art. I had a French friend called Guillem . After hearing about the maned figure, he phoned many contacts of his before reaching me via the France-China Friendship Association. As requested by them, I made many maned figures with the characteristics of Chinese operas. At the same time, I recommended to them some local folk artists in Beijing.

1997年，我带着我的鬃人作品应邀去了法国，作为中国民间艺术的代表人在法国交流访问，呆了一个半月，接触到了法国的各界人士，从幼儿园的小朋友到议员。在法国的五个大城市中，举办中国戏曲艺术展和交流讲座。这是民间艺术跟世界的沟通，鬃人是媒介桥梁，同时也弘扬了中国戏曲文化。
In 1997, I took my maned figures to France and stayed in the country for one month and a half as a representative of the Chinese folk artists. I knew many French people, including the kids in kindergarten and congressmen. I held the Chinese opera art exhibition and gave lectures in five major French cities. Through these communications, I, as a maned figure maker, helped to propagate and disseminate the Chinese opera culture.

“民间艺术最怕做滥”
“The folk art can be ruined by shoddy”
50年坚持“独家制作”道路
Over the past 50 years, he has kept on the path of “exclusive production”.
白：解放前的艺人都是自力更生，生产形式为个体或作坊。艺人的生存空间仅限于在各种庙会上出售自己的作品。解放以后走向合作化，有些艺人拿上了工资。我是个特例，从事鬃人艺术50年，一直是在走独家制作的道路。
Mr. Bai: Before the liberation, the artists and handicraftsmen lived on themselves as individual workers or workshop owners. They simply lived on selling their products at the temple fairs. After P.R.C was founded, they started to work in cooperation and some of them got paid by the government. But I am an exception. During the past 5 decades, I have kept on the path of “exclusive production”.
30年前我跟燕京书画社合作，双方一拍即合。当时正好赶上国家扶持待业青年创业。当时范增、董寿平也跟我们在一起的。鬃人最早走进市场，并受到人们的欢迎，特别受国外游客的喜欢，这给我带来了比较好的经济收益，也让我萌发了大量制作鬃人的想法。
Thirty years ago when the Chinese government was supporting the job-waiting young people to establish their own businesses, I went into cooperation with Yanjing Calligraphy and Painting Studio. Fan Zeng and Dong Shouping were also doing business with the Studio. The maned figure was the first to be sold in the market and won great popularity among foreign tourists in particular. It brought me huge incomes and I had the idea of producing the maned figure in large quantity.
那个时候我一个月要赚几百到上千块钱，但是有一点，就算市场再欢迎我的鬃人，我也没有组织大规模生产，没有开工厂。如果那个时候我开工厂的话，可能会给我带来丰厚的效益，但民间艺术的特色可能就要受到冲击，也不会是现在这样，能够常做常新了。
At that time, I could earn a few hundred or even more than 1,000 RMB. Even though my products were greatly popular in the market, I refused to organize the mass production or set up a factory. If I had opened a factory at that time, it might have brought bigger profits for me. However, the characteristics of folk art would have been impacted. And we would not have the constantly-innovated art.
时至今日，我的鬃人已不作为商品在外面出售，收藏者跟爱好者成为我的主要买家。当然这也是因为市场的积淀跟关注度已经比较高了。我的鬃人作品保证质量，有着独特的艺术价值。这才是民间艺术的吸引力，保持高质量，保持特色。“保护”不是要办工厂，不是要产量扩大，不是要传承多少人，民间的艺术最怕做滥。
Nowadays, my maned figures are not sold in the market. Instead, the collectors and fans would come to me to buy them. Of course, this is because my products have won great fame and attention when they were sold in the markets. My maned figure products have high quality and distinctive features. To preserve the traditional folk art, we should not build a factory, enlarge the production or teach as many students as possible. The folk art can be ruined by shoddy.

鬃人未来
Future of maned figure
国家扶持为民间艺术护航
Folk arts are protected by government
白：鬃人这门民间艺术能作为非物质文化遗产被国家保护是非常好的事情，但是我认为还是需要艺人自我进行保护。有了政策的保证再加上艺人平和的心态才能让民间艺术兴盛不衰。现在的鬃人一方面迎合旅游市场的需求，另一方面代表我们的民间艺术，我认为这就是未来鬃人的发展空间。
Mr, Bai: As the folk art, the maned figure is now being protected by the government as the non-tangible cultural heritage. However, I believe the artists themselves should also give attention to the protection. The folk art will be prospering forever after they have the government policies and the peaceful mentality of theirs. Nowadays, the maned figure has to cater to the needs of tourism market while representing the Chinese folk art. And I believe this is the right direction of its future development.