A piece from Yue Yunsheng's clay figurine series, Chinese New Year. [Photo by Bi Nan/chinadaily.com.cn]

The figurines he made are also very solid and shock-proof, which means they aren't easily broken, as the mud he use is local red clay from Lanzhou.

Yue teaches several apprentices for free, but for his successor, he has set five requirements that include a rich imagination, an eye for beauty, artistic skill, literature foundation and craftsmanship. Though people who meet all five requirements are rare, Yue said he will wait patiently for one to appear.