Mianhua (Xinjiang dough sculpture)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Mianhua (Xinjiang dough sculpture)

Applicant: Xinjiang county, Shanxi Province

Project No.: 829

Project No.: Ⅶ - 53

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Shanxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Xinjiang county, Shanxi Province

Protection unit: Xinjiang Cultural Center

Brief introduction of Mianhua (Xinjiang dough sculpture)

Applicant: Xinjiang county, Shanxi Province

The common name of dough sculpture is huamo, wowowohua and Gaohua, also known as dough sculpture. It is a kind of traditional food sculpture art popular in Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu and other northern regions, and it is also a kind of festival art very close to people's life. The origin of Mianhua is closely related to the traditional folk diet and beliefs and customs. The relics of Tang Dynasty dough sculpture unearthed from Astana tomb in Turpan, Xinjiang, show that this folk art has a long history of development in China. In the northern region, dough sculpture has a deep mass foundation. Every family will make dough according to local customs and practices during traditional festivals. These flour flower products have various forms and different postures, and have many functions, such as offering, viewing and eating. They can also be used as gifts for relatives and friends, and become an important medium of civil society communication. This spontaneous dough sculpture activity fully demonstrates the aesthetic ideal and artistic ability of the people, and makes the cultural tradition contained in the folk customs naturally inherited and highlighted. Different customs and customs all over the country result in the rich expression forms and distinctive regional characteristics of flour flower art. The unique shape and colorful color of flour flower products make the cultural space of traditional festivals beautiful.

Xinjiang dough sculpture, commonly known as "huamo", is a traditional folk food sculpture popular in Xinjiang county, Shanxi Province. As early as the Song Dynasty, local people began to use dough figurines to replace pigs, sheep and other victims. Later, this method became popular and continued for a long time in Xinjiang. Every year, people use dough figurines that simulate animals, melons, fruits, flowers and other images to sacrifice to gods. At the same time, they also use them as gifts for human exchanges. In this situation, Xinjiang dough sculpture technology gradually developed and matured. This kind of dough sculpture works are very rich in content and form, with more than 60 varieties. Due to the limitation of dough softness and fermentation condition, the shape of Xinjiang dough sculpture is extremely concise and general. It does not pay attention to realism, but mainly focuses on likeness. At present, with the change of social atmosphere, the local young people are indifferent to the traditional customs and habits. The Xinjiang dough figurines are losing their social functions and are in great danger of being lost.