Sports fans now can have a photo taken with such sports heroes as Yao Ming and David Beckham just by touring Beijing's National Museum of China.

The China Wax Images Display opened on September 29.

The highlight is a collection of 126 pieces of wax works created by Chinese artists nationwide.

The figures on display range from sports superstars and acknowledged political icons, to famed modern Chinese scientists.

Zhang Shouxiang, former curator of Beijing Waxen Images Display and a wax work producer for 20 years, created 28 figures.

The most satisfying, he said, is the statue of Lenin giving an enthusiastic public speech, one of classic scenes in the film "Lenin in 1918."

It took him several months to sculpt. Lenin's head took up most of the time.

Waxen images of Asian people are also on display. They are much more difficult to produce than the Caucasians.

"The skin color of the Asians shows remarkable complications, ranging from dark brown to white. While the material is white wax," Zhang said.

It took him more than 300 tries to perfect the formula to duplicate Asian skin tones.

Zhang was also the first in the world to give his figures fine hair pores.

The achievement startled his British counterparts during a trip to London in 1991, he claims.

His work was often discounted until one of his wax works, a forearm with pores, was delivered to experts at an exhibition.

A combination of sculpture, painting and drama, the art of wax figures was brought to China and developed in the 1980's.

There are around 15 wax museums across the country. The new one in Beijing is said to be the largest.

The display serves to show how Chinese artists digest Western art forms and mix it with Eastern culture.

"The art of wax figures is one part of pop culture," Zou Renti, a Xi'an-based sculptor said, "it enables it to attract more of an audience around China."

(China Daily October 8, 2004)