ZENG LIANG(1925 – 2003)
Zeng Liang was born into a low-income family in Shunde, Guangdong Province. After completing primary school, he left school due to the Japanese i n v a s i o n a n d wo r k e d i n commercial advertising design. In December 1949, Zeng joined the Cultural and Arts Troupe of Second Column of the Fourth Field Army, where he worked i n stage ar t and recei ved professional training in fine arts. In 1952, he transitioned to the Guangzhou People’s Fine Arts Society, where he helped establish the Shiwan Sculpture Factory. He apprenticed to the renowned ceramic animal sculptor Ou Qian. He later served as the deputy director and creative studio head of the Shiwan Artistic Ceramics Factory. After retiring in 1984, he continued as an artistic consultant for the Wanjiang Artistic Ceramics Factory until his passing in 2003.
Zeng dedicated over 40 years to ceramic art, specialising in realistic and distinctive animal sculptures. His early works often featured small, endearing animals, each infused with a childlike charm. From the 1960s onwards, he focused on eagles and falcons. He saw the eagle as a symbol of heroism and channelled this admiration into his art. His yearslong study of the birds, combined with his predecessors’ ‘fetal hair technique’ (meticulous down feathers depiction), allowed him to capture their lifelike forms. His ceramic eagles pioneered a new artistic direction for Shiwan pottery, earning him the title ‘King of Eagle Illustrators in Southern China’.
Among his celebrated works, ‘Protecting the Chicks’ garnered widespread acclaim. Zeng’s works won numerous awards and were collected by many institutions. Additionally, he published a collection of his works, contributing significantly to the Shiwan ceramic heritage.