Dough sculpting cultural festival held in N China's Shanxi

The 17th dough sculpting cultural festival of Lanxian county opened on March 10 in Lanxian county, Lyuliang city, north China's Shanxi Province. The exhibition of dough sculptures, cultural performances and an exhibition of folk customs demonstrated the glamor of the dough sculpting culture of Lanxian county, which is a national intangible cultural heritage.

Dough sculptures are displayed at the 17th dough sculpting cultural festival in Lanxian county, Lyuliang city, north China's Shanxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Dong Tong)

The dough sculptures had seven themes, showcasing a new Lanxian county through seven aspects, said Yuan Jianhua, an inheritor of the dough sculpting art in Lanxian county.

In recent years, the inheritance of the Lanxian dough sculpting art and sculpting techniques have demonstrated new characteristics.

Tourists take photos of dough sculptures at the 17th dough sculpting cultural festival in Lanxian county, Lyuliang city, north China's Shanxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Dong Tong)

Photo shows a dough sculpture at the 17th dough sculpting cultural festival in Lanxian county, Lyuliang city, north China's Shanxi Province. (People's Daily Online/Dong Tong)

In 2020, Lanxian county established an industrial cluster of the dough sculpting culture which incorporates several functions, including inheritance and demonstration of the intangible cultural heritage item, cultural tourism, studies of the craft, and production and marketing of dough sculptures.

The output value of the dough sculpting industry in Lanxian county has reached 5 million yuan ($725,100). A total of 500 local people are involved in the trade.