Looking at the clay figurine in his hand, he slowly picked up a carving knife, gently cut off a small piece of mud, and then kneaded and smoothed it with his hand, making the character's head more angular and distinct During the Chinese New Year, walking into the clay figurine Zhang Shijia studio located in a corner of Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, Zhang Yu, the sixth generation descendant of the "clay figurine Zhang Shijia", is focused on creating. "This work is called 'Confucius Playing the Qin'. It inherits the traditional skills of the clay figurine Zhang family and also incorporates my innovation. The market response is good, and related orders have been scheduled for 2025." Zhang Yu introduced. "It may seem like an ordinary clay figurine, but the production process is not simple. Starting from selecting soil, there are multiple processes such as shaping, repairing, drying, polishing, refining, firing, and coloring, which take several months or even longer." Zhang Yu said that creating clay figurines is a laborious and meticulous job, striving for excellence in both the overall and detailed aspects of the work, and sometimes even pushing it backwards to start over. Zhang Yu, born in March 1978, left home at the age of 18 to start a business. "When I started my business, I only rented a remote courtyard, where I studied and created day and night, not only to inherit my ancestors' craftsmanship, but also to adapt to the market to support myself. Almost all the year round, I was in the courtyard." In his opinion, it was this hard work that gave him a deeper insight and understanding of artistic creation, creating a Xintiandi for the clay figurine Zhang Shijia. As a national inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, Zhang Yu has been engaged in the creation and teaching of colored sculptures, as well as comparative teaching research between Chinese and Western sculptures, in order to promote innovative inheritance techniques. At the invitation of Tianjin University, Zhang Yu offered an elective course on "The Inheritance and Management Practice of Zhang's Centennial Art of Clay figurines", allowing more students to understand the history, culture, and development of their family over the past century. On September 1st last year, the "Dao of Youxiang" clay figurine exhibition by Zhang Shijia opened at the library of the Beiyang Garden campus of Tianjin University. Cao Lei, a doctoral student from the Department of Management and Economics at Tianjin University, said, "Seeing the unique colors of traditional Chinese craftsmanship in the exhibition also motivates me to cherish the beauty of intangible cultural heritage in front of me and discover the artistic brilliance around me with my eyes of discovery." Since 2014, Zhang Yu has launched the "Ten Thousand Clay Figures and Zhang Xiao's Inheritance" program, establishing on campus study rooms in multiple primary, secondary, and tertiary schools in Tianjin, and teaching students traditional clay sculpture on a voluntary basis. Up to now, more than 3000 enthusiasts have been trained, achieving good social effects. "I have gained a deeper understanding of the clay figurine Zhang." "Our younger generation should shoulder the responsibility of inheriting intangible cultural heritage." Some students expressed their hope for more intangible cultural heritage projects to enter the campus. (Lai Xin She)