Flour Flowers

Flour Flowers

　　　　Commonly known as “flower buns,” they belong to the art of dough modeling. Types include wedding, funeral, birthday, and festival flour flowers. They use ordinary flour as the core and premium flour for the outer layer, employing tools such as needles, combs, knives, and scissors, and are shaped through pinching, cutting, trimming, and decorating. It is said that they evolved from ancient totemic metal and stone ritual objects and are also a crystallization of the wisdom of working women. This folk art is widely practiced in our city, especially the flour flowers of Heyang and Huaxian counties, which are particularly renowned. The “flour flowers” from both counties have been exhibited in cities such as Beijing and Xi'an, causing quite a sensation. In March 1990, Zhao Xiuqin, a flour flower artist from Dutian Township in Heyang County, won the first prize in the Shaanxi Provincial Flour Flower Competition for her Mid-Autumn gift bun “Toad Spits Out Baby.” Five other flour flower works, including “Lion Pastry,” were showcased at the First National Arts and Crafts Fine Works Exhibition and Sales and exhibited in Japan during the “Chinese Art Week.” (Weinan)