Traditional craft captivates taste of modern audiences

Zhao, who graduated from Beijing Humanities Research Institute with a degree in art and design in 2012, chose to return to Wanrong to carry forward his family's craft.

In the beginning, he set up a stall in Wanrong where he showcased and sold dough figurines portraying a variety of cartoon characters, targeting children as his initial clientele. Gradually, he discovered a demand for lifelike dough figurines among adults, and so expanded his market reach.

Over the course of more than a decade, he honed his skills, learning from seasoned dough sculptors and pastry chefs in Beijing, Tianjin, Taiyuan and Xi'an in Shaanxi province. Today his expertise has garnered wide recognition.

"As demand surged, people started commissioning me to create personalized renditions of their beloved characters, such as some movie stars," he said.

Through the years, he kept exploring superior materials and ingredients to enhance the durability and longevity of his figurines.

His dedication to preserving and innovating traditional craftsmanship has not gone unnoticed. His mother, a fifth-generation inheritor of Wanrong dough sculpture, is proud of her son's achievements, noting his contributions to propelling the craft onto the international stage.