As Xiong Chuanfa, 34, blew a lifelike puppy out of molten maltose (溶化的麦芽糖) in just minutes, kids looked carefully at him with great surprise, thinking he was a magician.
Xiong Chuanfa has been working on blowing sugar figurines, a Chinese traditional folk art with a history of over 600 years, for more than twenty years.
In this special art form, the artist heats the syrup (糖浆) to a certain temperature, pulls off a small amount, makes it into a ball with an open center, presses the open area together and stretches (拉伸) it to form a tube. Then he blows air into the tube and makes it into different shapes. The traditional folk art has been listed as a state-level intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产).
Every morning, Xiong prepares the molten syrup and drives to start his "magic show" around his city. "Many people, particularly kids, are attracted by this sugar art. After all, the ancient art is gradually disappearing, " Xiong said. Simon, from Australia, was attracted by a sugar Bing Dwen Dwen, the mascot of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, in Xiong's stall. Simon couldn't resist trying to make one himself. However, he couldn't get the wanted shape though he tried several times. "It looks simple, but actually it's very difficult to master the skill, " he said. Thanks to Xiong's helping hand, Simon finally saw a horse slowly taking shape. "Can't believe I've done this, " he said, expressing his joy at how a pot of sugar syrup has been turned into something "truly amazing".
Xiong said that blowing sugar figurines (小塑像) can date back to the Ming Dynasty and that his family has passed down this art for four generations. "My 6-year-old son often blows up a balloon-like sugar figure, just like I used to do as a child. " he said. Xiong's wife Wang Li is an artist of the sugar painting, which is a form of traditional Chinese folk art that uses hot， liquid sugar to make 2-D things.
"None of the cultural heritage left by our ancestors (祖先) should be lost. They are name cards of the wonderful Chinese culture and should be spread around the world, " Xiong said. The couple often show their skills beside colleges to draw youngsters closer to the traditional art and allow them to experience its charm. "Sugar paintings and sugar figurines are childhood memories of several generations of Chinese people. We try to combine paper-cutting skills and modern elements (元素) with sugar figurines, making them similar to modern trend (趋势) while keeping a balance between beauty and taste. We will spend the rest of our lives helping pass on this intangible heritage, " Xiong said.
Many people were deeply moved after learning about the family's story.
a. Making it into a sugar ball. b. Stretching it to make a tube.
c. Pulling off some heated syrup. d. Blowing air to make wanted shapes.
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