Wu Shengzhong

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Wu Shengzhong, Male, Han, from Huangpu, Shanghai, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Ligaotang Making Craftsmanship (Ⅷ-275). The tradition is documented in Huangpu, Shanghai. Within the regional tradition and school record of Ligaotang Making Craftsmanship in Huangpu, Shanghai: The craft of making Shanghai pear syrup candy started in the old walled town of Huangpu District and first circulated in the area of the old town, Caojiadu and Zhabei; afterwards it spread outward with the Old Temple of the City God at its centre, gradually reaching every district and county of Shanghai, and with urban change and cultural promotion it became popular in the Jiangnan region as well. In the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing, the Old Temple of the City God saw the opening of the first pear syrup candy shop, followed by several more; by the joint state-private management of 1956 the various shops merged into one factory, combined in a single furnace. Apothecaries, medicine stalls and temple fairs existed side by side here, and the old method of boiling Chinese medicinal herbs together with pear juice was itself a way of keeping well handed down among the townspeople from generation to generation. The craft of making pear syrup candy began in the old walled town of Shanghai. At the time the common people had no money to see a doctor, so they boiled Chinese medicinal herbs, sugar and pear juice together into pear syrup candy to keep well and cure illness; being cheap and good, it became widely popular. In the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing dynasty (1855 CE), the first pear syrup candy shop was opened at the Old Temple of the City God in Shanghai, named 'Zhupinzhai'; afterwards 'Yongshengtang' and 'Deshentang' were opened as well. At the time of joint state-private management in 1956, the three pear syrup candy shops merged into the Shanghai Pear Syrup Candy Food Factory. Cao Derong, one of the founders, combined the three families' private secret recipes and the essence of their making techniques, and kept carrying forward the craft through the form of master leading apprentice; it has now been transmitted to the fourth generation.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Wu Shengzhong is anchored in the documented technical standards of Ligaotang Making Craftsmanship in Huangpu, Shanghai. Within the documented technical tradition of Ligaotang Making Craftsmanship in Huangpu, Shanghai: The craft of making Shanghai pear syrup candy is one of the important expressions of Shanghai's traditional food culture. This craft was born in Huangpu District in the centre of Shanghai, first circulating in the old walled town, Caojiadu and Zhabei, and later spreading continuously with the Old Temple of the City God as its core area, gradually reaching every district and county of Shanghai and radiating to the surrounding areas. Pear syrup candy, which relieves coughs and dispels phlegm and is affordable, is much loved in Shanghai, and its pleasing making craft was watched and absorbed by the local people, passed down from generation to generation and imperceptibly merged into daily life. The craft of making pear syrup candy consists of more than ten process steps, including mixing the ingredients, boiling the sugar, sanding, pouring the sugar, levelling the sugar, scoring the sugar, brushing the sugar, turning the sugar, breaking the sugar and packaging; the technique is complex, the handling fairly difficult, and the process highly watchable. Among these, boiling the sugar is the hardest step, requiring even stirring and keen observation so that the sugar is neither overdone nor underdone; the distinctive sanding step gives pear syrup candy its particular crumbly lightness; the even and smooth surface of the poured sugar comes from a calm and meticulous hand; precise scoring requires that as the knife falls the mind is at peace and there is a measure in the heart; breaking the sugar must be firm within gentleness, neither broken nor shattered; and the traditional paper wrapping was at the time also the secret of extending the shelf life of pear syrup candy. Pear syrup candy made by this craft is sweet as honey, light and crumbly, neither sticky nor cloying, and is deeply loved by the people. The pear syrup candy of the Old Temple of the City God, with a history of more than 160 years, is one of Shanghai's traditional local products. With the development of Shanghai's urbanisation and a great deal of cultural promotion activity, the pear syrup candy-making craft gradually became popular in the Jiangnan region as well. The craft of making pear syrup candy is closely bound up with the daily life of the local people, and its making process is highly watchable; the characteristic of pear syrup candy artisans, 'three parts selling candy, seven parts selling song', also drove the development of Shanghai's performing-arts culture. The cultural expressions associated with pear syrup candy have gradually entered the daily life and spiritual bloodstream of the people of Shanghai; protecting the pear syrup candy-making craft plays a positive role in carrying forward Shanghai's regional culture, food culture and traditional Chinese medicine culture. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "": "Archival Records of Process Steps": The craft of making pear syrup candy consists of more than ten process steps, including mixing the ingredients, boiling the sugar, sanding, pouring the sugar, levelling the sugar, scoring the sugar, brushing the sugar, turning the sugar, breaking the sugar and packaging; the technique is complex, the handling fairly difficult, and the process highly watchable. "Judging the sugar in the pan": The hardest stage: sugar, pear juice and herbs are boiled together, stirred evenly while the cook watches for the moment the colour turns, since deeper means overdone and uneven means underdone. "Sanding and pouring": Sanding gives the candy its crumbly looseness, while pouring depends on laying the syrup flat from the centre outward; one needs strength in the hand, the other composure.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Wu Shengzhong was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Ligaotang Making Craftsmanship, with Huangpu, Shanghai as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Ligaotang Making Craftsmanship in Huangpu, Shanghai: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2021 (batch 5), with Huangpu, Shanghai as its declared area, and Shanghai Ligaotangshipin Factory as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Wushengzhong (Huangpu, Shanghai) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Wushengzhong · China ICH Official Archive