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User:Zeng Yongqi

2026-06-30T15:27:53Z

Zeng Yongqi:

Sugar Sculpture

Sugar Sculpture, officially inscribed as a national-level Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage (No.Ⅶ-88), is a distinctive folk plastic art shaped with maltose and corn syrup. Integrating painting, carving and modeling, its works are both edible ornaments deeply rooted in folk customs. It falls into three major regional branches. First, Chengdu Sugar Painting creates flat patterns with poured melted sugar for temple fairs. Second, Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture crafts vivid 3D movable figurines by inflating sugar masses. Third, Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines serve exclusively as sacrificial offerings. Evolving from ancient sacrificial “xiang tang” recorded in ancient medical and historical texts, Sugar Sculpture carries Chinese auspicious wishes and folk aesthetics, deserving in-depth cultural research.

Chapter 1 Historical Origins and Folk‑custom Functions of Sugar Sculpture

Sugar Sculpture originated from ancient Chinese sacrificial culture, with its earliest prototype named “xiang tang”, a traditional sugar-made sacrificial artifact ①. As recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica, sugar molded figurines for worship had appeared before the Ming Dynasty ②. In Tang and Song dynasties, sugar craft broke the single sacrificial function. Sugar-made tributes prevailed in temple rituals in the Tang Dynasty, and civilian-oriented sugar art appeared on urban streets in the Song Dynasty, recorded in ancient folk life documents ①.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the folk sugar art derived from xiang tang gradually evolved and differentiated into three stable regional branches, consistent with the three official inheritance schools of national intangible cultural heritage ⑤. In folk society, Sugar Sculpture bore practical and emotional folk functions. Primarily, it acted as folk sacrificial supplies. In resource-limited ancient rural areas, sugar figurines replaced meat sacrifices for ancestor worship and ritual ceremonies ②. Secondly, it became a typical recreational folk art for temple fairs and rural gatherings, adding festive vitality to folk daily life. Moreover, various sugar sculpture themes such as zodiac animals and immortal patterns convey ordinary people’s simple wishes for good fortune and peace ③.

Different from rigid official rituals, sugar sculpture culture features strong civilian liveliness. Wandering craftsmen traveled among towns with portable tools, attracting audiences with unique street performances, leaving warm collective memories for generations of Chinese people ④. Existing official heritage records and folk culture research materials can fully verify its evolution from ancient ritual supplies to popular folk plastic art ⑤.

Chapter 2 Craft Techniques and Visual Aesthetics of Three Major Regional Branches

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum defines three formal regional branches of Sugar Sculpture: Chengdu Sugar Painting in Sichuan Province, Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture in Hubei Province and Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines in Jiangsu Province ⑤. Each branch has exclusive raw‑material processing skills, operational steps and aesthetic styles. Their artistic differences form the whole‑system artistic value of sugar‑sculpture folk plastic art.

Chengdu Sugar Painting is the most‑well‑known flat‑pattern sugar‑sculpture branch in southwest China. Its core raw materials are high‑quality maltose and corn syrup. Craftsmen heat raw‑material syrup strictly to 160‑170 degrees Celsius to get golden‑colored, smooth‑textured melted sugar liquid. The heating temperature decides whether the final sugar lines are crisp or fragile, which is a key skill mastered only by experienced local inheritors. Craftsmen take melted sugar with a bronze spoon, pour the liquid quickly on smooth marble or copper plates. They control pouring speed and spoon‑moving tracks freely to draw continuous one‑stroke patterns without repeated outlining. Classic subjects include figures from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, twelve Chinese zodiac animals, phoenixes, kylins and flowers, absorbing line‑drawing features of Chinese paper‑cutting and shadow‑puppet art ③.

Its visual aesthetics lies in fluent golden lines and concise silhouette modeling. Each finished sugar painting is fixed on a thin bamboo stick, so visitors can hold and appreciate the translucent golden artwork, and eat it after watching the performance. Local temple‑fair‑related folk rules add more fun: visitors spin a pointer‑installed lottery disc. Whatever animal the pointer points to, craftsmen will make the corresponding sugar‑painting work, creating strong interactive experience between audiences and craftsmen ③.

Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture has the most complex operational techniques among three branches, famous for three‑dimensional movable structures ④. According to local folk art research data, local craftsmen add four kinds of natural pigments including red, blue, black and yellow into heated maltose raw materials, preparing colorful soft sugar masses. The whole‑craft core combines blowing, kneading, pulling, shearing and pressing operations. A craftsman takes a small piece of hot‑softened sugar, kneads it into a round lump, pinches a narrow tube‑shaped opening on one end, then blows air steadily into the lump through the tube. The sugar mass inflates slowly meanwhile the craftsman pulls and pinches the soft sugar body to shape animal bodies, limbs and heads.

With small scissors and wooden combs as auxiliary tools, they make movable joints on figurines. Typical works include jumping monkeys, galloping horses, fighting crickets and mythical dragon‑tortoise combinations. These figurines can swing their limbs when people shake the bamboo stick below. Its visual aesthetics focuses on vivid dynamic modeling and bright mixed colors. Compared with flat‑style Chengdu Sugar Painting, Tianmen sugar‑sculpture works have richer three‑dimensional layers and dramatic motion effects. This craft was exhibited at China Art Museum in 1987, winning nationwide public recognition ④.

Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines retain the oldest‑style craft which directly inherits ancient xiang‑tang mould‑pouring technology ②. Different from the two live‑created branches above, most Fengxian sugar figurines rely on hand‑carved wooden moulds. Craftsmen pour boiled sugar liquid into paired wooden moulds, close moulds tightly for cooling and solidification, then split moulds to take out complete sugar‑made sacrificial‑item models.

Its creation subjects have strict limitations: all works are designed for ancestor worship and local ritual events. Common models include eight immortals, dragon pillars, sacrificial chickens and ritual‑style peaches. No casual cartoon‑style or street‑play‑themed patterns appear here. Its aesthetic feature is solemn, neat and symmetrical modeling, fitting serious sacrificial‑ceremony atmosphere. These sugar‑made offerings are neatly arranged on sacrifice tables, forming ordered ritual scenes. Though lacking street‑side performance fun, this branch preserves the original ritual‑culture genes of sugar‑sculpture art, which cannot be replaced by the other two branches ②.

To sum up, three branches cover flat free‑hand drawing, 3D dynamic hand‑shaping and mould‑based ritual‑object making respectively. They show diversified creation ideas of Chinese folk craftsmen, combining practical functions, ornamental value and regional folk‑custom characteristics together.

Conclusion

Sugar Sculpture grows from ancient sacrificial xiang‑tang folk culture, develops into three distinct regional artistic branches with unique craft skills and aesthetic styles, and obtains new development chances through modern tourism‑culture innovation and limited overseas communication. Its thousand‑year‑long evolution fully reflects Chinese folk people’s wisdom of combining materials, techniques and local folk‑custom emotions. This sweet‑shaped folk heritage keeps its vitality as long as reasonable inheritance and moderate innovation continue.

References
① 季羡林. Sugar History[M]. Beijing: New World Press, 2023.
② Li Shizhen. Compendium of Materia Medica[M]. Ancient Chinese medical classics.
③ Jiang Shouwen. Sichuan Sugar Painting[M]. Chengdu: Chengdu Publishing House, 1992.
④ Tianmen Municipal People’s Government. Research Record of Tianmen Sugar Sculpture Folk Art[R]. 2009.
⑤ China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Official File of National‑level Intangible Cultural Heritage Project (No.Ⅶ‑88)[R]. 2008.

糖塑

糖塑是列入国家级非物质文化遗产（编号Ⅶ-88）的特色民间造型艺术，以麦芽糖、玉米糖为原料塑形，融合绘画、刻塑多种技法，成品兼具观赏与食用价值，深度扎根民间生活。糖塑主要分为三大地域流派：一是成都糖画，以浇淋熔糖绘制平面纹样，盛行于庙会集市；二是天门吹糖塑，通过吹制糖团做出立体可活动摆件；三是丰县糖人贡，专供祭祀礼仪使用。糖塑源自古籍记载的古代祭祀飨糖，承载国人祈福愿景与民间审美，具备深刻的文化研究价值。

第一章糖塑的历史起源与民俗功能
糖塑根植于中国古代祭祀文化，最早雏形为用于祭祀的传统糖制器物 —— 飨糖①。据《本草纲目》史料记载，明代之前国内已出现用于祭祀的糖塑造像工艺②。唐宋时期，糖艺突破单一祭祀用途：唐代糖制供品广泛用于寺庙祭祀，宋代市井民俗繁荣，街头民用糖艺逐步兴起，相关风貌均收录于古代民俗典籍①。

明清两代，源自飨糖技艺的民间糖艺不断发展分化，最终形成三大风格稳定的地域流派，与国家级非遗认定的三大传承体系完全对应⑤。在民间社会中，糖塑承载着实用的民俗功能与精神寓意。最初核心功能为民间祭祀，古代乡村物资匮乏，百姓以糖塑畜禽、仙佛造像替代肉食祭品，用于祭祖祀神②。同时，糖塑是庙会、乡村集会的经典民俗娱乐项目，为民间节庆增添活力。此外，十二生肖、瑞兽仙翁等糖塑题材，寄托了百姓祈福纳祥、期盼平安顺遂的朴素心愿③。

区别于规整刻板的官方礼制，糖塑文化极具民间烟火气息。历代匠人肩挑糖艺挑子游走村镇，以特色街头表演吸引民众围观，成为几代中国人温暖的集体民俗记忆④。现存官方非遗档案与民间文化研究资料，完整佐证了糖塑从古代礼制供品演变为大众民间造型艺术的发展脉络⑤。

第二章三大地域流派的工艺技法与视觉美学中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆正式划定糖塑三大地域传承流派：四川成都糖画、湖北天门吹糖塑、江苏丰县糖人贡⑤。三大流派各有专属的原料处理工艺、制作流程与审美体系，差异化的艺术特征共同构筑了糖塑民间造型艺术的完整价值体系。

成都糖画是西南地区最具知名度的平面糖塑技艺流派，核心原料为优质麦芽糖与玉米糖浆。匠人将糖浆精准加热至 160 至 170 摄氏度，熬制出色泽金黄、质地细腻的熔糖，火候把控是资深传承人的核心独门技艺。匠人以铜勺舀取糖液，在光滑石板、铜板上快速淋绘，凭借手法掌控糖液流速与轨迹，一笔成型、无需复描。经典创作题材涵盖三国人物、十二生肖、龙凤麒麟、花鸟纹样，融合了中国剪纸、皮影的线条美学特征③。

成都糖画的视觉美感集中体现在流畅灵动的金色线条与简约传神的剪影造型，成品固定于竹签之上，兼具观赏与食用双重属性。当地庙会专属的转盘互动玩法极具趣味性，游客随机抽取创作题材，匠人按需创作，构建了匠人与观众的沉浸式互动体验③。

天门吹糖塑是三大流派中工艺最繁复、最具特色的立体可动糖塑技艺④。据地方民间美术调研资料记载，匠人在高温软化的麦芽糖中调配红、蓝、黑、黄四色天然颜料，制成多彩糖团。整套工艺融合吹、揉、拉、剪、压多重手法，匠人取小块热软糖料，捏出管状通气口，匀速吹气膨胀糖体，同步揉捏拉扯塑造躯体、四肢与头部轮廓。搭配剪刀、木梳等辅助工具，匠人可为糖塑制作可活动关节，经典作品包括灵猴、奔马、斗蟋蟀、龙龟瑞兽等造型，轻晃竹签即可呈现灵动动态。该流派以鲜活的动态造型、鲜亮丰富的色彩为核心美学特色，相较于平面糖画，立体层次与戏剧效果更为突出。1987 年，天门吹糖塑亮相中国美术馆，获得全国性艺术认可④。

丰县糖人贡完整承袭古代飨糖模具浇筑古法，是糖塑最古老的技艺分支②。与即兴创作的糖画、吹糖塑不同，丰县糖人贡依托手工雕花木质模具定型制作。匠人将熬制好的糖液注入配对模具，压实冷却凝固后拆模，得到规整的祭祀糖塑成品。其创作题材严格服务于祭祀礼仪，仅制作八仙、龙柱、祭祀禽鸟、礼仪寿桃等礼制器物，无市井娱乐、卡通潮流纹样。整体造型规整对称、庄严肃穆，契合祭祀仪式的肃穆氛围，成品整齐陈列于供桌，构成完整的祭祀礼制场景。虽无街头表演的趣味性，却完整留存了糖塑最原始的祭祀文化内核，是其余两大流派无法替代的文化载体②。

综上，三大流派分别对应平面手绘、立体动态塑形、模具礼制造像三种创作形式，集中展现了中国民间匠人的创作智慧，将实用价值、审美价值与地域民俗文化深度融合。

结语

糖塑脱胎于千年祭祀飨糖民俗，历经岁月沉淀分化为三大特色鲜明的地域艺术流派，依托当代文旅创新与对外文化交流焕发新生。其千年发展历程，凝练了中国民间匠人因地制宜、融技于俗的生存智慧。坚守传统技艺内核、坚持适度创新发展，是这项甜蜜非遗持续传承、永葆活力的核心关键。

参考文献

① 季羡林.《糖史》[M]. 北京：新世界出版社，2023.
② 李时珍.《本草纲目》[M]. 古代中医典籍.
③ 蒋守文.《四川糖画》[M]. 成都：成都出版社，1992.
④ 天门市人民政府。天门糖塑民间艺术调研记录 [R]. 2009.
⑤ 中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆。国家级非物质文化遗产项目（Ⅶ-88）官方档案 [R]. 2008.

User:Zeng Yongqi

2026-06-30T15:26:27Z

Zeng Yongqi:

Sugar Sculpture

Sugar Sculpture, officially inscribed as a national-level Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage (No.Ⅶ-88), is a distinctive folk plastic art shaped with maltose and corn syrup. Integrating painting, carving and modeling, its works are both edible ornaments deeply rooted in folk customs. It falls into three major regional branches. First, Chengdu Sugar Painting creates flat patterns with poured melted sugar for temple fairs. Second, Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture crafts vivid 3D movable figurines by inflating sugar masses. Third, Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines serve exclusively as sacrificial offerings. Evolving from ancient sacrificial “xiang tang” recorded in ancient medical and historical texts, Sugar Sculpture carries Chinese auspicious wishes and folk aesthetics, deserving in-depth cultural research.

Chapter 1 Historical Origins and Folk‑custom Functions of Sugar Sculpture

Sugar Sculpture originated from ancient Chinese sacrificial culture, with its earliest prototype named “xiang tang”, a traditional sugar-made sacrificial artifact ①. As recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica, sugar molded figurines for worship had appeared before the Ming Dynasty ②. In Tang and Song dynasties, sugar craft broke the single sacrificial function. Sugar-made tributes prevailed in temple rituals in the Tang Dynasty, and civilian-oriented sugar art appeared on urban streets in the Song Dynasty, recorded in ancient folk life documents ①.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the folk sugar art derived from xiang tang gradually evolved and differentiated into three stable regional branches, consistent with the three official inheritance schools of national intangible cultural heritage ⑤. In folk society, Sugar Sculpture bore practical and emotional folk functions. Primarily, it acted as folk sacrificial supplies. In resource-limited ancient rural areas, sugar figurines replaced meat sacrifices for ancestor worship and ritual ceremonies ②. Secondly, it became a typical recreational folk art for temple fairs and rural gatherings, adding festive vitality to folk daily life. Moreover, various sugar sculpture themes such as zodiac animals and immortal patterns convey ordinary people’s simple wishes for good fortune and peace ③.

Different from rigid official rituals, sugar sculpture culture features strong civilian liveliness. Wandering craftsmen traveled among towns with portable tools, attracting audiences with unique street performances, leaving warm collective memories for generations of Chinese people ④. Existing official heritage records and folk culture research materials can fully verify its evolution from ancient ritual supplies to popular folk plastic art ⑤.

Chapter 2 Craft Techniques and Visual Aesthetics of Three Major Regional Branches

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum defines three formal regional branches of Sugar Sculpture: Chengdu Sugar Painting in Sichuan Province, Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture in Hubei Province and Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines in Jiangsu Province ⑤. Each branch has exclusive raw‑material processing skills, operational steps and aesthetic styles. Their artistic differences form the whole‑system artistic value of sugar‑sculpture folk plastic art.

Chengdu Sugar Painting is the most‑well‑known flat‑pattern sugar‑sculpture branch in southwest China. Its core raw materials are high‑quality maltose and corn syrup. Craftsmen heat raw‑material syrup strictly to 160‑170 degrees Celsius to get golden‑colored, smooth‑textured melted sugar liquid. The heating temperature decides whether the final sugar lines are crisp or fragile, which is a key skill mastered only by experienced local inheritors. Craftsmen take melted sugar with a bronze spoon, pour the liquid quickly on smooth marble or copper plates. They control pouring speed and spoon‑moving tracks freely to draw continuous one‑stroke patterns without repeated outlining. Classic subjects include figures from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, twelve Chinese zodiac animals, phoenixes, kylins and flowers, absorbing line‑drawing features of Chinese paper‑cutting and shadow‑puppet art ③.

Its visual aesthetics lies in fluent golden lines and concise silhouette modeling. Each finished sugar painting is fixed on a thin bamboo stick, so visitors can hold and appreciate the translucent golden artwork, and eat it after watching the performance. Local temple‑fair‑related folk rules add more fun: visitors spin a pointer‑installed lottery disc. Whatever animal the pointer points to, craftsmen will make the corresponding sugar‑painting work, creating strong interactive experience between audiences and craftsmen ③.

Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture has the most complex operational techniques among three branches, famous for three‑dimensional movable structures ④. According to local folk art research data, local craftsmen add four kinds of natural pigments including red, blue, black and yellow into heated maltose raw materials, preparing colorful soft sugar masses. The whole‑craft core combines blowing, kneading, pulling, shearing and pressing operations. A craftsman takes a small piece of hot‑softened sugar, kneads it into a round lump, pinches a narrow tube‑shaped opening on one end, then blows air steadily into the lump through the tube. The sugar mass inflates slowly meanwhile the craftsman pulls and pinches the soft sugar body to shape animal bodies, limbs and heads.

With small scissors and wooden combs as auxiliary tools, they make movable joints on figurines. Typical works include jumping monkeys, galloping horses, fighting crickets and mythical dragon‑tortoise combinations. These figurines can swing their limbs when people shake the bamboo stick below. Its visual aesthetics focuses on vivid dynamic modeling and bright mixed colors. Compared with flat‑style Chengdu Sugar Painting, Tianmen sugar‑sculpture works have richer three‑dimensional layers and dramatic motion effects. This craft was exhibited at China Art Museum in 1987, winning nationwide public recognition ④.

Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines retain the oldest‑style craft which directly inherits ancient xiang‑tang mould‑pouring technology ②. Different from the two live‑created branches above, most Fengxian sugar figurines rely on hand‑carved wooden moulds. Craftsmen pour boiled sugar liquid into paired wooden moulds, close moulds tightly for cooling and solidification, then split moulds to take out complete sugar‑made sacrificial‑item models.

Its creation subjects have strict limitations: all works are designed for ancestor worship and local ritual events. Common models include eight immortals, dragon pillars, sacrificial chickens and ritual‑style peaches. No casual cartoon‑style or street‑play‑themed patterns appear here. Its aesthetic feature is solemn, neat and symmetrical modeling, fitting serious sacrificial‑ceremony atmosphere. These sugar‑made offerings are neatly arranged on sacrifice tables, forming ordered ritual scenes. Though lacking street‑side performance fun, this branch preserves the original ritual‑culture genes of sugar‑sculpture art, which cannot be replaced by the other two branches ②.

To sum up, three branches cover flat free‑hand drawing, 3D dynamic hand‑shaping and mould‑based ritual‑object making respectively. They show diversified creation ideas of Chinese folk craftsmen, combining practical functions, ornamental value and regional folk‑custom characteristics together.

Final Conclusion

Sugar Sculpture grows from ancient sacrificial xiang‑tang folk culture, develops into three distinct regional artistic branches with unique craft skills and aesthetic styles, and obtains new development chances through modern tourism‑culture innovation and limited overseas communication. Its thousand‑year‑long evolution fully reflects Chinese folk people’s wisdom of combining materials, techniques and local folk‑custom emotions. This sweet‑shaped folk heritage keeps its vitality as long as reasonable inheritance and moderate innovation continue.

References
① 季羡林. Sugar History[M]. Beijing: New World Press, 2023.
② Li Shizhen. Compendium of Materia Medica[M]. Ancient Chinese medical classics.
③ Jiang Shouwen. Sichuan Sugar Painting[M]. Chengdu: Chengdu Publishing House, 1992.
④ Tianmen Municipal People’s Government. Research Record of Tianmen Sugar Sculpture Folk Art[R]. 2009.
⑤ China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Official File of National‑level Intangible Cultural Heritage Project (No.Ⅶ‑88)[R]. 2008.

糖塑

糖塑是列入国家级非物质文化遗产（编号Ⅶ-88）的特色民间造型艺术，以麦芽糖、玉米糖为原料塑形，融合绘画、刻塑多种技法，成品兼具观赏与食用价值，深度扎根民间生活。糖塑主要分为三大地域流派：一是成都糖画，以浇淋熔糖绘制平面纹样，盛行于庙会集市；二是天门吹糖塑，通过吹制糖团做出立体可活动摆件；三是丰县糖人贡，专供祭祀礼仪使用。糖塑源自古籍记载的古代祭祀飨糖，承载国人祈福愿景与民间审美，具备深刻的文化研究价值。

第一章糖塑的历史起源与民俗功能
糖塑根植于中国古代祭祀文化，最早雏形为用于祭祀的传统糖制器物 —— 飨糖①。据《本草纲目》史料记载，明代之前国内已出现用于祭祀的糖塑造像工艺②。唐宋时期，糖艺突破单一祭祀用途：唐代糖制供品广泛用于寺庙祭祀，宋代市井民俗繁荣，街头民用糖艺逐步兴起，相关风貌均收录于古代民俗典籍①。

明清两代，源自飨糖技艺的民间糖艺不断发展分化，最终形成三大风格稳定的地域流派，与国家级非遗认定的三大传承体系完全对应⑤。在民间社会中，糖塑承载着实用的民俗功能与精神寓意。最初核心功能为民间祭祀，古代乡村物资匮乏，百姓以糖塑畜禽、仙佛造像替代肉食祭品，用于祭祖祀神②。同时，糖塑是庙会、乡村集会的经典民俗娱乐项目，为民间节庆增添活力。此外，十二生肖、瑞兽仙翁等糖塑题材，寄托了百姓祈福纳祥、期盼平安顺遂的朴素心愿③。

区别于规整刻板的官方礼制，糖塑文化极具民间烟火气息。历代匠人肩挑糖艺挑子游走村镇，以特色街头表演吸引民众围观，成为几代中国人温暖的集体民俗记忆④。现存官方非遗档案与民间文化研究资料，完整佐证了糖塑从古代礼制供品演变为大众民间造型艺术的发展脉络⑤。

第二章三大地域流派的工艺技法与视觉美学中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆正式划定糖塑三大地域传承流派：四川成都糖画、湖北天门吹糖塑、江苏丰县糖人贡⑤。三大流派各有专属的原料处理工艺、制作流程与审美体系，差异化的艺术特征共同构筑了糖塑民间造型艺术的完整价值体系。

成都糖画是西南地区最具知名度的平面糖塑技艺流派，核心原料为优质麦芽糖与玉米糖浆。匠人将糖浆精准加热至 160 至 170 摄氏度，熬制出色泽金黄、质地细腻的熔糖，火候把控是资深传承人的核心独门技艺。匠人以铜勺舀取糖液，在光滑石板、铜板上快速淋绘，凭借手法掌控糖液流速与轨迹，一笔成型、无需复描。经典创作题材涵盖三国人物、十二生肖、龙凤麒麟、花鸟纹样，融合了中国剪纸、皮影的线条美学特征③。

成都糖画的视觉美感集中体现在流畅灵动的金色线条与简约传神的剪影造型，成品固定于竹签之上，兼具观赏与食用双重属性。当地庙会专属的转盘互动玩法极具趣味性，游客随机抽取创作题材，匠人按需创作，构建了匠人与观众的沉浸式互动体验③。

天门吹糖塑是三大流派中工艺最繁复、最具特色的立体可动糖塑技艺④。据地方民间美术调研资料记载，匠人在高温软化的麦芽糖中调配红、蓝、黑、黄四色天然颜料，制成多彩糖团。整套工艺融合吹、揉、拉、剪、压多重手法，匠人取小块热软糖料，捏出管状通气口，匀速吹气膨胀糖体，同步揉捏拉扯塑造躯体、四肢与头部轮廓。搭配剪刀、木梳等辅助工具，匠人可为糖塑制作可活动关节，经典作品包括灵猴、奔马、斗蟋蟀、龙龟瑞兽等造型，轻晃竹签即可呈现灵动动态。该流派以鲜活的动态造型、鲜亮丰富的色彩为核心美学特色，相较于平面糖画，立体层次与戏剧效果更为突出。1987 年，天门吹糖塑亮相中国美术馆，获得全国性艺术认可④。

丰县糖人贡完整承袭古代飨糖模具浇筑古法，是糖塑最古老的技艺分支②。与即兴创作的糖画、吹糖塑不同，丰县糖人贡依托手工雕花木质模具定型制作。匠人将熬制好的糖液注入配对模具，压实冷却凝固后拆模，得到规整的祭祀糖塑成品。其创作题材严格服务于祭祀礼仪，仅制作八仙、龙柱、祭祀禽鸟、礼仪寿桃等礼制器物，无市井娱乐、卡通潮流纹样。整体造型规整对称、庄严肃穆，契合祭祀仪式的肃穆氛围，成品整齐陈列于供桌，构成完整的祭祀礼制场景。虽无街头表演的趣味性，却完整留存了糖塑最原始的祭祀文化内核，是其余两大流派无法替代的文化载体②。

综上，三大流派分别对应平面手绘、立体动态塑形、模具礼制造像三种创作形式，集中展现了中国民间匠人的创作智慧，将实用价值、审美价值与地域民俗文化深度融合。

结语

糖塑脱胎于千年祭祀飨糖民俗，历经岁月沉淀分化为三大特色鲜明的地域艺术流派，依托当代文旅创新与对外文化交流焕发新生。其千年发展历程，凝练了中国民间匠人因地制宜、融技于俗的生存智慧。坚守传统技艺内核、坚持适度创新发展，是这项甜蜜非遗持续传承、永葆活力的核心关键。

参考文献

① 季羡林.《糖史》[M]. 北京：新世界出版社，2023.
② 李时珍.《本草纲目》[M]. 古代中医典籍.
③ 蒋守文.《四川糖画》[M]. 成都：成都出版社，1992.
④ 天门市人民政府。天门糖塑民间艺术调研记录 [R]. 2009.
⑤ 中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆。国家级非物质文化遗产项目（Ⅶ-88）官方档案 [R]. 2008.

User:Zeng Yongqi

2026-06-30T15:24:59Z

Zeng Yongqi:

Sugar Sculpture, officially inscribed as a national-level Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage (No.Ⅶ-88), is a distinctive folk plastic art shaped with maltose and corn syrup. Integrating painting, carving and modeling, its works are both edible ornaments deeply rooted in folk customs. It falls into three major regional branches. First, Chengdu Sugar Painting creates flat patterns with poured melted sugar for temple fairs. Second, Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture crafts vivid 3D movable figurines by inflating sugar masses. Third, Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines serve exclusively as sacrificial offerings. Evolving from ancient sacrificial “xiang tang” recorded in ancient medical and historical texts, Sugar Sculpture carries Chinese auspicious wishes and folk aesthetics, deserving in-depth cultural research.

Chapter 1 Historical Origins and Folk‑custom Functions of Sugar Sculpture

Sugar Sculpture originated from ancient Chinese sacrificial culture, with its earliest prototype named “xiang tang”, a traditional sugar-made sacrificial artifact ①. As recorded in Compendium of Materia Medica, sugar molded figurines for worship had appeared before the Ming Dynasty ②. In Tang and Song dynasties, sugar craft broke the single sacrificial function. Sugar-made tributes prevailed in temple rituals in the Tang Dynasty, and civilian-oriented sugar art appeared on urban streets in the Song Dynasty, recorded in ancient folk life documents ①.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the folk sugar art derived from xiang tang gradually evolved and differentiated into three stable regional branches, consistent with the three official inheritance schools of national intangible cultural heritage ⑤. In folk society, Sugar Sculpture bore practical and emotional folk functions. Primarily, it acted as folk sacrificial supplies. In resource-limited ancient rural areas, sugar figurines replaced meat sacrifices for ancestor worship and ritual ceremonies ②. Secondly, it became a typical recreational folk art for temple fairs and rural gatherings, adding festive vitality to folk daily life. Moreover, various sugar sculpture themes such as zodiac animals and immortal patterns convey ordinary people’s simple wishes for good fortune and peace ③.

Different from rigid official rituals, sugar sculpture culture features strong civilian liveliness. Wandering craftsmen traveled among towns with portable tools, attracting audiences with unique street performances, leaving warm collective memories for generations of Chinese people ④. Existing official heritage records and folk culture research materials can fully verify its evolution from ancient ritual supplies to popular folk plastic art ⑤.

Chapter 2 Craft Techniques and Visual Aesthetics of Three Major Regional Branches

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum defines three formal regional branches of Sugar Sculpture: Chengdu Sugar Painting in Sichuan Province, Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture in Hubei Province and Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines in Jiangsu Province ⑤. Each branch has exclusive raw‑material processing skills, operational steps and aesthetic styles. Their artistic differences form the whole‑system artistic value of sugar‑sculpture folk plastic art.

Chengdu Sugar Painting is the most‑well‑known flat‑pattern sugar‑sculpture branch in southwest China. Its core raw materials are high‑quality maltose and corn syrup. Craftsmen heat raw‑material syrup strictly to 160‑170 degrees Celsius to get golden‑colored, smooth‑textured melted sugar liquid. The heating temperature decides whether the final sugar lines are crisp or fragile, which is a key skill mastered only by experienced local inheritors. Craftsmen take melted sugar with a bronze spoon, pour the liquid quickly on smooth marble or copper plates. They control pouring speed and spoon‑moving tracks freely to draw continuous one‑stroke patterns without repeated outlining. Classic subjects include figures from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, twelve Chinese zodiac animals, phoenixes, kylins and flowers, absorbing line‑drawing features of Chinese paper‑cutting and shadow‑puppet art ③.

Its visual aesthetics lies in fluent golden lines and concise silhouette modeling. Each finished sugar painting is fixed on a thin bamboo stick, so visitors can hold and appreciate the translucent golden artwork, and eat it after watching the performance. Local temple‑fair‑related folk rules add more fun: visitors spin a pointer‑installed lottery disc. Whatever animal the pointer points to, craftsmen will make the corresponding sugar‑painting work, creating strong interactive experience between audiences and craftsmen ③.

Tianmen Blown Sugar Sculpture has the most complex operational techniques among three branches, famous for three‑dimensional movable structures ④. According to local folk art research data, local craftsmen add four kinds of natural pigments including red, blue, black and yellow into heated maltose raw materials, preparing colorful soft sugar masses. The whole‑craft core combines blowing, kneading, pulling, shearing and pressing operations. A craftsman takes a small piece of hot‑softened sugar, kneads it into a round lump, pinches a narrow tube‑shaped opening on one end, then blows air steadily into the lump through the tube. The sugar mass inflates slowly meanwhile the craftsman pulls and pinches the soft sugar body to shape animal bodies, limbs and heads.

With small scissors and wooden combs as auxiliary tools, they make movable joints on figurines. Typical works include jumping monkeys, galloping horses, fighting crickets and mythical dragon‑tortoise combinations. These figurines can swing their limbs when people shake the bamboo stick below. Its visual aesthetics focuses on vivid dynamic modeling and bright mixed colors. Compared with flat‑style Chengdu Sugar Painting, Tianmen sugar‑sculpture works have richer three‑dimensional layers and dramatic motion effects. This craft was exhibited at China Art Museum in 1987, winning nationwide public recognition ④.

Fengxian Ritual Sugar Figurines retain the oldest‑style craft which directly inherits ancient xiang‑tang mould‑pouring technology ②. Different from the two live‑created branches above, most Fengxian sugar figurines rely on hand‑carved wooden moulds. Craftsmen pour boiled sugar liquid into paired wooden moulds, close moulds tightly for cooling and solidification, then split moulds to take out complete sugar‑made sacrificial‑item models.

Its creation subjects have strict limitations: all works are designed for ancestor worship and local ritual events. Common models include eight immortals, dragon pillars, sacrificial chickens and ritual‑style peaches. No casual cartoon‑style or street‑play‑themed patterns appear here. Its aesthetic feature is solemn, neat and symmetrical modeling, fitting serious sacrificial‑ceremony atmosphere. These sugar‑made offerings are neatly arranged on sacrifice tables, forming ordered ritual scenes. Though lacking street‑side performance fun, this branch preserves the original ritual‑culture genes of sugar‑sculpture art, which cannot be replaced by the other two branches ②.

To sum up, three branches cover flat free‑hand drawing, 3D dynamic hand‑shaping and mould‑based ritual‑object making respectively. They show diversified creation ideas of Chinese folk craftsmen, combining practical functions, ornamental value and regional folk‑custom characteristics together.

Final Conclusion

Sugar Sculpture grows from ancient sacrificial xiang‑tang folk culture, develops into three distinct regional artistic branches with unique craft skills and aesthetic styles, and obtains new development chances through modern tourism‑culture innovation and limited overseas communication. Its thousand‑year‑long evolution fully reflects Chinese folk people’s wisdom of combining materials, techniques and local folk‑custom emotions. This sweet‑shaped folk heritage keeps its vitality as long as reasonable inheritance and moderate innovation continue.

References
① 季羡林. Sugar History[M]. Beijing: New World Press, 2023.
② Li Shizhen. Compendium of Materia Medica[M]. Ancient Chinese medical classics.
③ Jiang Shouwen. Sichuan Sugar Painting[M]. Chengdu: Chengdu Publishing House, 1992.
④ Tianmen Municipal People’s Government. Research Record of Tianmen Sugar Sculpture Folk Art[R]. 2009.
⑤ China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Official File of National‑level Intangible Cultural Heritage Project (No.Ⅶ‑88)[R]. 2008.

糖塑是列入国家级非物质文化遗产（编号Ⅶ-88）的特色民间造型艺术，以麦芽糖、玉米糖为原料塑形，融合绘画、刻塑多种技法，成品兼具观赏与食用价值，深度扎根民间生活。糖塑主要分为三大地域流派：一是成都糖画，以浇淋熔糖绘制平面纹样，盛行于庙会集市；二是天门吹糖塑，通过吹制糖团做出立体可活动摆件；三是丰县糖人贡，专供祭祀礼仪使用。糖塑源自古籍记载的古代祭祀飨糖，承载国人祈福愿景与民间审美，具备深刻的文化研究价值。

第一章糖塑的历史起源与民俗功能
糖塑根植于中国古代祭祀文化，最早雏形为用于祭祀的传统糖制器物 —— 飨糖①。据《本草纲目》史料记载，明代之前国内已出现用于祭祀的糖塑造像工艺②。唐宋时期，糖艺突破单一祭祀用途：唐代糖制供品广泛用于寺庙祭祀，宋代市井民俗繁荣，街头民用糖艺逐步兴起，相关风貌均收录于古代民俗典籍①。

明清两代，源自飨糖技艺的民间糖艺不断发展分化，最终形成三大风格稳定的地域流派，与国家级非遗认定的三大传承体系完全对应⑤。在民间社会中，糖塑承载着实用的民俗功能与精神寓意。最初核心功能为民间祭祀，古代乡村物资匮乏，百姓以糖塑畜禽、仙佛造像替代肉食祭品，用于祭祖祀神②。同时，糖塑是庙会、乡村集会的经典民俗娱乐项目，为民间节庆增添活力。此外，十二生肖、瑞兽仙翁等糖塑题材，寄托了百姓祈福纳祥、期盼平安顺遂的朴素心愿③。

区别于规整刻板的官方礼制，糖塑文化极具民间烟火气息。历代匠人肩挑糖艺挑子游走村镇，以特色街头表演吸引民众围观，成为几代中国人温暖的集体民俗记忆④。现存官方非遗档案与民间文化研究资料，完整佐证了糖塑从古代礼制供品演变为大众民间造型艺术的发展脉络⑤。

第二章三大地域流派的工艺技法与视觉美学中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆正式划定糖塑三大地域传承流派：四川成都糖画、湖北天门吹糖塑、江苏丰县糖人贡⑤。三大流派各有专属的原料处理工艺、制作流程与审美体系，差异化的艺术特征共同构筑了糖塑民间造型艺术的完整价值体系。

成都糖画是西南地区最具知名度的平面糖塑技艺流派，核心原料为优质麦芽糖与玉米糖浆。匠人将糖浆精准加热至 160 至 170 摄氏度，熬制出色泽金黄、质地细腻的熔糖，火候把控是资深传承人的核心独门技艺。匠人以铜勺舀取糖液，在光滑石板、铜板上快速淋绘，凭借手法掌控糖液流速与轨迹，一笔成型、无需复描。经典创作题材涵盖三国人物、十二生肖、龙凤麒麟、花鸟纹样，融合了中国剪纸、皮影的线条美学特征③。

成都糖画的视觉美感集中体现在流畅灵动的金色线条与简约传神的剪影造型，成品固定于竹签之上，兼具观赏与食用双重属性。当地庙会专属的转盘互动玩法极具趣味性，游客随机抽取创作题材，匠人按需创作，构建了匠人与观众的沉浸式互动体验③。

天门吹糖塑是三大流派中工艺最繁复、最具特色的立体可动糖塑技艺④。据地方民间美术调研资料记载，匠人在高温软化的麦芽糖中调配红、蓝、黑、黄四色天然颜料，制成多彩糖团。整套工艺融合吹、揉、拉、剪、压多重手法，匠人取小块热软糖料，捏出管状通气口，匀速吹气膨胀糖体，同步揉捏拉扯塑造躯体、四肢与头部轮廓。搭配剪刀、木梳等辅助工具，匠人可为糖塑制作可活动关节，经典作品包括灵猴、奔马、斗蟋蟀、龙龟瑞兽等造型，轻晃竹签即可呈现灵动动态。该流派以鲜活的动态造型、鲜亮丰富的色彩为核心美学特色，相较于平面糖画，立体层次与戏剧效果更为突出。1987 年，天门吹糖塑亮相中国美术馆，获得全国性艺术认可④。

丰县糖人贡完整承袭古代飨糖模具浇筑古法，是糖塑最古老的技艺分支②。与即兴创作的糖画、吹糖塑不同，丰县糖人贡依托手工雕花木质模具定型制作。匠人将熬制好的糖液注入配对模具，压实冷却凝固后拆模，得到规整的祭祀糖塑成品。其创作题材严格服务于祭祀礼仪，仅制作八仙、龙柱、祭祀禽鸟、礼仪寿桃等礼制器物，无市井娱乐、卡通潮流纹样。整体造型规整对称、庄严肃穆，契合祭祀仪式的肃穆氛围，成品整齐陈列于供桌，构成完整的祭祀礼制场景。虽无街头表演的趣味性，却完整留存了糖塑最原始的祭祀文化内核，是其余两大流派无法替代的文化载体②。

综上，三大流派分别对应平面手绘、立体动态塑形、模具礼制造像三种创作形式，集中展现了中国民间匠人的创作智慧，将实用价值、审美价值与地域民俗文化深度融合。

结语

糖塑脱胎于千年祭祀飨糖民俗，历经岁月沉淀分化为三大特色鲜明的地域艺术流派，依托当代文旅创新与对外文化交流焕发新生。其千年发展历程，凝练了中国民间匠人因地制宜、融技于俗的生存智慧。坚守传统技艺内核、坚持适度创新发展，是这项甜蜜非遗持续传承、永葆活力的核心关键。

参考文献

① 季羡林.《糖史》[M]. 北京：新世界出版社，2023.
② 李时珍.《本草纲目》[M]. 古代中医典籍.
③ 蒋守文.《四川糖画》[M]. 成都：成都出版社，1992.
④ 天门市人民政府。天门糖塑民间艺术调研记录 [R]. 2009.
⑤ 中国非物质文化遗产数字博物馆。国家级非物质文化遗产项目（Ⅶ-88）官方档案 [R]. 2008.

User:Zeng Yongqi

2026-06-29T16:27:21Z

Zeng Yongqi:

User:Zeng Yongqi

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Zeng Yongqi:

User:Zeng Yongqi

2026-06-16T06:45:05Z

Zeng Yongqi: Created page with "Sugar Sculpture, officially inscribed as a national-level Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage (No.Ⅶ-88), is a distinctive folk plastic art shaped with maltose and corn syru..."