Peninsula all-media reporter Huang Jingfei
"In the New Year, we must 'blow sugar people' in order to truly taste the New Year's flavor!" Among the traditional tastes about the Spring Festival, the most memorable is probably the sweet "sugar man". On February 7, at the New Year Intangible Cultural Heritage Market on the first floor of Licun Luck City, the reporter saw Cheng Yang, a "sugar blower" craftsman who was busy in front of the stall. In front of his stall, there are candy men with zodiac signs such as tigers, snakes, and dogs.
The words "Interactive Blowing Sugar Man" on the sign in front of the booth attracted many onlookers eager to try. "This year is the Year of the Tiger, and I want a little tiger!" "I belong to the snake, I want a small snake..." A group of children surrounded Cheng Yang, happily waiting for the "Little Sugar Tiger" and "Little Sugar Snake". Blow it gently again, take it slowly... Cheng Yang instructed the children who were blowing the other end of the Little Sugar Tiger, a soft, translucent piece of syrup, pulled and rolled on his hand, and then pinched a few vivid and cute cartoon images Little Sugar Tiger came out. Not only do children like it, but many adults also love it, and when they see the candy blower, it will remind people of childhood memories and pursue the taste of the New Year in childhood.
"Sugar blower" is one of the traditional folk handicrafts in the mainland, which has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage, and there are fewer and fewer folk artists who will do this "unique job". Cheng Yang has loved folk art since childhood, and in 2002, he studied under Mr. Wang Xijin, the inheritor of the "Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage", and received folk art face sculptures, sugar paintings, sugar blowers, straw weaving, dragon and phoenix flower and bird characters, wooden board New Year paintings, hand-painted faces, etc. His main business is now mounting, but because he is particularly fond of blowing sugar people and wants more people to experience this ancient folk skill, he sets up a booth to interact with children, "Most children like their own affiliation, I will blow them, they are very happy after seeing it." The exquisite zodiac sign "Sugar Man" can both play and eat, and the children fell in love with this old craft through personal experience.