Sugar painting, a traditional edible art form, dates back to the Ming dynasty, where it was often crafted into animal shapes as sacred offerings during ancestral and deity worship. Artists skillfully draw with molten sugar on stone slabs, attaching a wooden stick before the artwork hardens—an expressive blend of craftsmanship and ritual, now commonly seen at temple fairs and tourist spots.
Bingtanghulu, the crystallized fruit skewers beloved across generations, traces its roots to the Song dynasty. Legend tells of a favored imperial consort of Emperor Guangzong who fell ill and lost her appetite. A court physician prescribed a remedy: ten hawthorns boiled in rock sugar before meals. Her recovery gave birth to a royal treat—one that today has evolved into strawberry, apple, and grape variations, wrapped in glistening sugar shells.
Sugar painting is now officially recognized as part of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The full trilingual feature is available on the DotDotNews app, offering a taste of history through the lens of sweetness and art.
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