Zizhou Flour Flowers

Zizhou Flour Flowers

Zizhou Flour Flowers are an intangible cultural heritage of Shaanxi Province.

　　Zizhou Flour Flowers are a specialty of Zizhou County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. Flour flowers are an artistic and delicious food, a unique gift for family and friends, and also a reflection of traditional cultural sentiment. The flour flowers of Nanchuan in Zizhou have a long history and distinctive taste, and are an important intangible cultural heritage.

　　In the past, almost every household in the Nanchuan area of Zizhou County (from Hejiaji Town to Huainingwan Township) would make flour flowers shortly before the Cold Food Festival and Qingming Festival. This tradition remains very popular even today.

　　A few days before the Cold Food Festival, every household in Nanchuan, Zizhou, would prepare premium white flour, let it ferment, and gather embellishments such as black beans, melon seeds, hemp seeds, and various colored pigments. On the day of making the flour flowers, they would finish their meals early, after which the women would begin crafting the flowers. Sometimes they made so many that they asked neighbors or relatives for help. They would mix the fermented dough with a certain proportion of flour, let it rest, then shape it into various figures, animals, and auspicious patterns—such as boys, girls, hair-bun dolls, the twelve zodiac animals, and all kinds of birds and beasts. Their tools were very simple: knives, scissors, combs, and anything else found in daily life. They could sculpt everything vividly and lifelike. After shaping, the flour flowers were steamed in a pot, taken out, and placed on covers made of sorghum stalks, or in winnowing baskets or trays. Once cooled, various colors were added, and the flour flowers were complete. The eyes of some animals were often made from black beans, hemp seeds, or melon seeds, which had to be attached before steaming. Smaller flour flowers were usually hung on thorny twigs so they could slowly dry while also being displayed. Some could even be preserved until the next year’s Cold Food Festival.