Dough Figurines
01 · Historical Records
The origin of flour flowers is closely related to the traditional dietary and belief customs of the people; Tang-dynasty dough-sculpture remains excavated from the Astana tombs in Turpan, Xinjiang, show that this folk art has a long history of development in China. As early as the Song dynasty, when the local people performed sacrifices they had already begun to use dough sculpture in place of pigs, sheep, and other sacrificial animals.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Flour flowers, popularly called huamo (flower steamed buns), wowohua, and gaohua, and also known as dough sculpture, are a traditional edible modeling art popular in the northern regions of Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu, and at the same time a festival-custom art very closely tied to everyday life. In the northern regions, flour-flower modeling has deep roots among the people; at every traditional festival, each household makes flour flowers according to local customs and conventions. These flour-flower products come in a great variety of forms and postures; they serve multiple functions, including offering, display, and food, and can also be given as gifts to relatives and friends, becoming an important medium of social exchange among the people. The differing local conditions, customs, and ritual emphases of each region have given flour-flower art rich expressive forms and distinct regional characteristics; the distinctive shapes and brilliant colors of flour-flower products adorn the cultural space of traditional festivals with singular beauty. At each seasonal festival, people use dough sculpture imitating animals, melons and fruits, and flowers to worship the spirits, and also give them as gifts in social exchange. Under these circumstances, the techniques of Xinjiang dough sculpture gradually developed and matured. The content and form of this dough-sculpture art are both extremely rich, with more than sixty varieties. Constrained by the softness of the dough and the state of fermentation, Xinjiang dough sculpture is highly concise and generalized in its modeling; it does not aim at literal realism but at resemblance in spirit.
Flower buns and sixty-odd varieties
Xinjiang dough flowers, locally flower buns, number over sixty varieties used for seasonal offerings and gifts.
Dough in place of sacrificial beasts
As early as the Song dynasty local worshippers substituted dough figures for pig and sheep sacrifices, a custom that persisted.
Spiritual likeness over realism
Constrained by soft, leavened dough, Xinjiang figures are drastically simplified and prize spiritual likeness over realism.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Xinjiang dough sculpture, commonly called 'huamo' (flower steamed buns), is a traditional folk edible modeling art popular in the Xinjiang County area of Shanxi Province. Thereafter this practice continued as a custom and was long preserved in the Xinjiang area. Xinjiang dough sculpture, commonly called huamo, has more than sixty varieties; the common ones include 'date mountains', flower cakes, dough sheep, dough tigers, dough fish, the twelve zodiac animals, and opera-story figures such as the Eight Immortals and Tang Sanzang fetching the scriptures. Modeling is constrained by the softness of the dough and the state of fermentation; it does not aim at literal realism but wins through resemblance in spirit, and mostly employs the techniques of cutting, pressing, rolling, and coiling. After steaming, the pieces are dotted and colored with red, green, yellow, and other dyes. It is mainly used in folk occasions such as sacrifices, weddings, birthday celebrations, one-month celebrations for infants, and funerals; at sacrifices, dough sculpture takes the place of pigs and sheep, and in social exchange it serves as a gift. This practice of using dough in place of sacrificial animals was already evident in local sacrifices of the Song dynasty.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Dough Figurines · Dough Figurines · Dough Figurines · Dough Figurines · Dough Figurines · Dough Figurines.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
This spontaneous flour-flower modeling activity fully demonstrates the aesthetic ideals and artistic talent of the people, allowing the cultural traditions contained in folk custom to be naturally transmitted and displayed. At present, with changes in social customs, young people locally are rather indifferent to traditional folkways, and Xinjiang dough sculpture is gradually losing its former social function; its survival is difficult, and there is great danger of its being lost, making rescue and protection a matter of urgency.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Zhang Hongxia 05-2649
- Dong Qiaolan 05-2650
- Li Chengxiu 05-2651
- Yuan Jianhua
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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