Dough sculpture is a traditional sculpture art made of edible flour and glutinous rice flour, which is popular throughout China. The production of most of the dough sculptures is based on animals and figures in myths, historical stories and local operas. The craftsmen normally made dough sculptures by pinching, rolling, kneading, lifting and other techniques to shape the general form, and then use bamboo knives to carve the details such as hands and feet, heads and faces, and their expressions. Lastly, the work is done by adding some hair ornaments and dresses to the figures. The art of dough sculpture mainly relies on the improvisation of street artists. As the craftsmen know the subject matter, design, color and procedures by heart, they have mastered the art of shaping, and are able to transform the dough into artistic figures in an instant. This form of art has been handed down and developed in the folklore, and it is an important material for the study of Chinese folk history, customs and art.

Beijing dough sculpture is a folk art unique to Beijing. It has a wide range of subjects and focuses on the expression of real life, vividly reflecting all walks of life and various old folk customs of Beijing. The works of Beijing dough sculpture not only have strong artistic and collectible value, but also provide important reference for the study of old Beijing folk customs and folk handicraft techniques.

Translator: ZHAO Huinan