Shandong intangible cultural heritage classroom: how to make a Caozhou dough figure

The thirteenth class of the Shandong intangible cultural heritage classroom, led by Mu Xujian, Shandong provincial inheritor and master craftsman of ancient Caozhou (Heze) dough figurines, was held on June 3 at the Shandong Provincial Cultural Center in Jinan, the provincial capital.

Dough figurines are representative of Shandong folk culture. In the city of Heze, traditionally known as Caozhou, the first dough figurine makers customarily fashioned images of pigs and lambs.

The figurines were used as sacrificial substitutes for slaughtered animals in the worship of spirits of heaven and earth, and were meant to solicit favorable weather for growing crops and protection from the deities.

Later, folk artists mixed vegetable juices into the dough to add color, enabling them to create flowers, birds and other figures -- a custom that has lasted to the present day.

Typical dough figurines have sturdy, simple lines and lively images, suggesting a rusticity that enhances the meaning of local culture. In 2008, the folk craft was listed as one of China's national intangible cultural heritages.

Mu, a representative heir to the craft, had a keen passion for the art of dough sculpting at an early age. Having inherited the skills necessary to produce dough figurines from his forbearers, Mu constantly develops innovations in the tradition to produce works imbued with rich folk culture and embracing diverse themes.

At the beginning of his course, Mu divided the class into two groups to make dough figures of Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) and Zhu Wuneng (a pig monk also known as Zhu Bajie).

Mu demonstrated how to knead glutinous rice flour with the fingers and create curves.

Samples made by Mu were placed at the rostrum for children to try and imitate.

About 30 children took part in the class, all fascinated by the ancient cultural legacy.

"I'm very satisfied to be in the 'Monkey King' group," said six-year-old Ren Siqi, "I've watched both versions of the classic television series聽Journey to the West聽and my favorite character is Monkey King. I'll take my dough figure to my mom."

Sun Yixuan, a second-grader from Jinan Shungeng Primary School is already a regular at the intangible cultural heritage classroom.

"I really like my creation today. I have learned about dough figurines and I really enjoyed the do-it-yourself class," said Sun.

"My son can really learn something here and the class can help to cultivate his interest in arts and handicraft," said Ms Wu, Sun's mother.

"The weekly class is rather popular among children and it's not easy to get a seat."

Organized by the Shandong Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center, the classroom has been open every Saturday since March 4 to introduce and teach the province's intangible cultural heritages to kids.

Every course is taught by a state or provincial level intangible cultural inheritor and children between 6 and 12 can sign up for the classes.