Dough figurine

Dough figurine, also known as dough modeling, new-year modeling and dough decoration, is a kind of Chinese folk arts. It is simply made but of high artistic value. As early as the Han Dynasty, dough modeling in China has already entered the written records. Soft dough of various colors is mainly made of flour or glutinous rice flour, adding other components such as pigments, paraffin and honey, and then going through the process of crack prevention and mildew proofing. Dough craftsman draw materials casually based on the required. After a repetition of pinching, rubbing, twisting and lifting by hand and poking, cutting, carving and nicking by bamboo knife, the body, the hands and the face of the figurine are shaped by them. Dressed up with hair accessories and clothes, all of a sudden, a vivid artistic figurine emerges. Dough figurine was added into the second batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2008.

History

There are no records left to prove the exact time when dough figurines first appeared. However, from the dough figurines and dough pigs excavated from a tomb of the Tang Dynasty at Astana, Turpan, Xinjiang, the emergence time was deduced to be at least more than 1340 years ago.

Features

1、Colorful

2、Small in size and portable

3、Made of cheap materials, of low cost

Techniques

Classified by functions, dough figurines include two types - one for collection and the other for food. The type of dough figurines used as a collection is often made of refined flour, glutinous rice flour, salt, preservatives and sesame oil, while the other type edible is made of wheat starchand cornstarch.

Regional dough figurine

Heze dough figurine has a long history and it is famous all over China. Praying for a good weather, which is important to crop growth, people make pigs and sheep with dough as substitutes for real animals to worship the gods.

Huozhou dough figurines are always shaped as cats, dogs, tigers, rabbits, chicken, ducks, fishes and frogs, gripes, pomegranate, etc. by peasant women with homemade wheat starch as the Spring Festival approaches. According to local custom, these dough figurines symbolize good luck, longevity, fortune, harmony and love.

Xinzhou dough figurines include various shapes and colors. They are folk art of great aestheticvalue, not only used for people to appreciate and eat, but also provided as a gift.

Jiangzhou dough figurines emphasize the use of colors so that they are usually riotous with colors. During the traditional festivals, every family here grinds selected wheat into flour, with which they make dough figurines of different shapes to celebrate the festivals.

Shanxi dough figurines are mainly used in sacrifice and pray rite to heaven, earth and gods, which presents the pursuit of a prosperousand satisfactory life.

Significance

Although the making of dough figurines is simple, it is still a kind of folk crafts art of rather high artistic value. Dough figurine is attached great importance as precious intangible cultural heritage, which means the gadget has also entered the palace of art.

Customs

Qingming Festival shows good wishes toward the return of spring and the prosperity of the nature. Dough figurine art apparentlybecomes the major way and presentation of people’s blessing.

In Shanxi, making dough sheep to worship the graves of ancestors and serve as a present to relatives and friends on the 15of the 7lunar month is a great feature of folk customs.

Among the traditions on big days and festivals, dough figurine plays a prominent role. It is even dispensable in all kinds of ceremonies that show great significance in life.