Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Wang Xinhong) news: "The soil possesses a voice, and one must listen to it intently." On January 18, within the Jiang Xiaotao Clay Sculpture Studio located in Shuimogou District, Urumqi, Wu Shaojie, the representative inheritor of the Urumqi municipal intangible cultural heritage of color clay sculpture, picked up a pinch of clay and rubbed it between his fingers, perceiving the coarseness and humidity of the particles, as if engaging in a silent dialogue with the land.

Eighteen years ago, Wu Shaojie journeyed to Xinjiang from Henan. At the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, he was captivated by the intense colors and "peculiar" patterns that enveloped him. "It wasn't merely my eyes; my entire being was surrounded by them," he recounted that moment many years later.

Photo shows Wu Shaojie engaged in the creation of a color clay sculpture. (Courtesy photo from Wu Shaojie)

Throughout his four - year college education, he systematically acquired knowledge of traditional clay sculpture. The clay gradually took form in his hands; however, he constantly felt that there was a certain element lacking in his works. What could it be? It was not until he went to Beijing and was kneading colorful soft clay in his rented room that those vivid colors suddenly transported him back to the sunlight of the Grand Bazaar. That was it! What was lacking was the kind of warm, palpable heat that struck immediately.

In the autumn of 2017, he returned with soft clay in his backpack. Commencing with the nang, a staple food for the people in Xinjiang, he initiated his journey in intangible cultural heritage creation.

Photo shows Wu Shaojie teaching community residents how to make colored sculptures. (Courtesy photo from Wu Shaojie)

It's easy to capture the form, but hard to find the soul. To capture the essence of Xinjiang, he quietly observed the changes of the dough in the flames in front of the naan pits in the ancient city of Kashi; he stared at the eye - to - eye contact between shepherds and eagles on the Nalati Grassland, trying to understand the tacit understanding between living beings; and he listened to the old people's songs under the grape trellises in Turpan. What fascinated him most was the Twelve Muqam. The music was like a tide, as if the land was breathing and speaking. Based on this, his series of colored sculptures named "Twelve Muqam" won the Gold Award of the "Golden Phoenix" at the 55th National Arts and Crafts Fair.

His "Dolan Meshrep" is full of the exuberance of life. The whirling figures of the dancers, the enthusiastic performance of the musicians, and the pure smiles of the on - lookers are all fixed in the clay. "Meshrep is a carnival of life. Once the clay remembers it, it will never forget," said Wu Shaojie.

After his studio was officially established in 2019, his creative path became broader. His works include grand - narrative pieces like "Silk Road Camel Bells" and "Hetian Jade Bazaar", as well as daily items such as coasters with Aydingkol patterns and Hami melon ornaments. His works not only entered scenic spots such as the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar and Kanas, but also flew across the Tianshan Mountains via e - commerce and entered thousands of households.

Works from the Jiang Xiaotao Clay Sculpture Studio. (Courtesy photo from Wu Shaojie)

In July 2025, the studio received guests from Jiande City, Zhejiang Province. They meticulously examined and touched the clay sculptures, exclaiming, "These are lifelike! There seems to be a sense of wind in the folds of the naan - baker's sleeves." Wu Shaojie picked up a new work, in which the Aydingkol patterns concealed the allure of the ripples in the rivers of the Jiangnan region. The guests from Jiande expressed their hope to "invite" these artworks to the Jiangnan area, while Wu Shaojie was contemplating how to "incorporate" the glaze color of celadon and the carving techniques of Yanzhou into his creations. "Art should be like water; it only has vitality when it flows," he remarked, observing several young people engrossed in their work in front of the workbench. "When I instruct them, it's not merely about hand skills. They also need to learn to 'sense' the heartbeat of the clay and the rhythm of life."

In the tranquil studio, one could faintly hear the gentle rustling sound of the clay being turned in the palm. Wu Shaojie was delicately kneading the clay in his hand. The sunlight filtered through the glass onto his hands, and vivid and warm - toned artworks gradually took shape between his fingers. Here, intangible cultural heritage is no longer a static specimen but a vivid medium for him and his disciples to tell the stories of Xinjiang.

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