Tangsu (Tianmen Tangsu)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Tangsu (Tianmen Tangsu)

Applicant: Tianmen City, Hubei Province

Project No.: 864

Project No.: Ⅶ - 88

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Hubei Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Tianmen City, Hubei Province

Protection unit: Tianmen Mass Art Museum

Introduction to Tangsu (Tianmen Tangsu)

Applicant: Tianmen City, Hubei Province

Sugar sculpture is a special kind of traditional Chinese folk sculpture, which is mainly made by using the plasticity of sugar. Different from Western sculpture, Chinese folk sculpture contains rich modeling factors such as painting, sculpture, engraving, decoration and so on, which more reflects its own traditional aesthetic purport and technical characteristics. Most of the sugar molds are made of maltose and corn sugar, which are commonly known as "Tangxi". They are made by means of kneading, piling, pasting, cutting, blowing, rubbing, dragging, pressing, pouring and pulling, and by means of painting, dyeing, carving, drawing, dot, stamp, printing, inserting and patching. Sugar plastic products can be enjoyed, entertained and eaten directly. In Chinese folk, sugar sculptures are spread all over the north and south, with a broad mass base, which is closely related to folk life.

Tianmen sugar sculpture, commonly known as "sugar blower", is a popular folk sculpture art in Tianmen City, Hubei Province. It evolved from the sacrificial "sugar offering" recorded in the ancient books of Tang and Song Dynasties, with a long history and rich secular cultural connotation. The "big things" in Tianmen sugar sculpture, such as "dragon and Phoenix candle" and "three stars of fortune, fortune and longevity", still retain the basic form of "sugar offering" used in sacrifice, birthday and wedding ceremony, which provides an important physical example for the study of traditional sacrifice custom. Tianmen sugar sculpture is made of maltose, which is specially boiled and processed. It is different from sugar painting in the way of "blowing" and "molding". The shape is exaggerated and full, and the color is bright and warm. Its traditional theme is mainly to show the characters, animals, flowers, birds, fish and insects, which contains the moral of pursuing good fortune and avoiding evil. Sugar sculptors are good at using "bubble live" to expand the volume, using "head live" to enrich the details, and using springs to connect the parts to create fun and dynamic. These ingenious artistic treatments fully show the aesthetic taste and creative wisdom from the folk. With the evolution of the times, great changes have taken place in social life. In this situation, Tianmen sugar sculpture is gradually declining, and its skills are constantly degenerating. At present, this traditional skill has been unable to attract the attention of young people. There is no one to inherit it. It is on the verge of being lost, and it is in urgent need of rescue and protection.