As Wang Chunjing created a lifelike rabbit out of molten maltose in minutes in her stall in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, children surrounded her and looked on with astonishment, as though they
It was no surprise: The 32-year-old has been blowing sugar figures for more than a decade. The traditional Chinese folk art is some 600 years old.
Born in Heilongjiang's Qinggang county, Wang learned the basic skills of the art from her father, a folk craftsman, during her childhood. Applying her talent, Wang could make some simple shapes, such as a gourd, with sugar syrup at age 6.
After her graduation from senior high school in 2008, Wang's family moved to Harbin, the provincial capital, to build a better life.
"My father hoped me to get a stable job, and I tried several different jobs in Harbin, such as sales at a clothing shop and a mobile phone shop," she said. "However, I still had the dream of becoming a craftsman to create magic like my father."
At her insistence, Wang's father finally agreed to take her on as his student.
Wang spent three years mastering the skills. She then traveled to various provinces, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan and Fujian, to earn money by making sugar figures.
In 2015, she decided to return to Harbin, where her parents live.
"I like the city, and my boyfriend at that time, one of my father's students, also hoped to begin a stable life here," she said. "Then we started our business."
They married in 2018 and have now opened three stalls near famous tourist attractions. Their sugar figures have been welcomed by both local residents and tourists.
In 2006, the art was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage, and in 201, Wang was granted the title of provincial-level inheritor of sugar figures.
"Fewer than 100 people in China can blow sugar figures, and there are few young female inheritors," she said. "It is not easy to innovate during the process of passing on the intangible cultural heritage, but I will hold on."
"Sugar figures are not only a precious childhood memory but also bring me lots of happiness and joy in the creation process," she said. "I also hope to help more people learn about the art and the traditional culture."
