Tang Hua's Traditional Production Theme

Tang Hua's themes include novels, opera characters, auspicious flowers and fruits, birds and animals, writing and so on. People and animals are the most interesting. If it is a profile image, it is modeled by lines. If it is a positive image, pile its head into a relief shape with sugar. Because of the fluidity of sugar, even the same image will not appear the same shape.

Tang Hua is a traditional folk handicraft, with sugar as the material for modeling. The only tools used are a spoon and a shovel. Sugar is usually brown sugar, white sugar and a little maltose, which is cooked on the stove with warm fire. When it is ready to tie the thread, it can be used for casting.

When drawing a shape, the artist scoops up the melted sugar juice with a small spoon and throws it back and forth quickly on the slate to draw a shape. The skill of folk artists is the key to modeling. When the model is completed, Tang Hua will be scooped up by a small shovel and then glued with bamboo sticks.

Artists and development:

Although the number of people engaged in business in Tang Hua has decreased compared with the past, nowadays, the charm of Tang Hua has been gradually recognized and paid attention by more and more people, and the status of artists in Tang Hua is also increasing. Some artists represented by Cai Shuquan have been recognized in various forms. Cai Shuquan is now the executive director of Sichuan Folk Writers Association.

He was born in a sugar-coated family in Sichuan, and has performed in major cities such as Tang Hua, China, Japanese, German, Spanish and Singaporean. His works and artistic achievements have been reported by nearly 100 newspapers and TV stations at home and abroad, awarded the title of "Master of Folk Arts and Crafts" by China Folk Artists Association, "First Class Folk Arts and Crafts Artist" by UNESCO and "International Folk Arts and Crafts Artist" by China Folk Arts and Crafts Committee.

Heritage protection:

Tang Hua in Chengdu is a unique traditional handicraft skill that combines folk crafts with delicious food, which is mainly spread in Chengdu and its surrounding areas. It is listed as the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage in China.

In February, 2022, Tang Hua art was listed in the list of representative items of Sichuan intangible cultural heritage.