Heilong Sugar Lions

Heilong Sugar Lions

　　In Fengtang’s Heilong village, it used to be the scene of lively processions and deity parades on the first day of the second lunar month each year. Even today, every household continues the old custom of displaying abundant offerings in front of the ancestral hall or the main clan hall to honor their ancestors. These richly arrayed offerings are laid out for several days. To prevent them from spoiling, generations have passed down the tradition of crafting symbolic items such as the Five Sacrificial Animals using cane sugar and peanuts. Among these, the sugar lions from Wuyi are the most iconic, showcasing the wisdom and craftsmanship of folk artisans. As a result, when the festival arrives, relatives and friends flock to Heilong village from near and far, strolling through the streets and alleys to admire and critique the dozens of uniquely crafted offering tables before the deities. Year after year, this tradition continues unchanged, making Heilong Sugar Lions widely renowned.

　　The making of sugar lions and the Five Sacrificial Animals fully demonstrates the ingenuity and rich artistic creativity of the people of Heilong. They are truly distinctive, infused with a strong local flavor, and leave all who see them in awe.