Young Chinese artist revives ancient sugar craft with viral creations

Zhang Bo, a sugar-figurine artist from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, shows his sugar creations. (Photo/Li Yifan)

A young artist in the ancient Chinese city of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is reinventing traditional sugar-figurine craft with hyper-realistic creations that have captured widespread attention on social media.

Zhang Bo runs a studio where his elaborate works — including chicken wings, pig trotters and cobras — are showcased in the display window. Each piece is so lifelike it can fool the eye.

Zhang's first encounter with the art came more than 10 years ago when he was 14. Watching an artisan swiftly transform a sugar lump into a delicate bird, his eyes lit up. The demonstration captivated him and sparked a passion that continues today.

Zhang Bo works on a sugar creation in March 2025. (Photo/Li Yifan)

The first step — heating the syrup — requires the most patience. Zhang focuses on the thermometer, and once the temperature reaches 175-180 degrees Celsius, he quickly pours out the syrup. Using blowing and pulling techniques, Zhang shapes the hot sugar into bubbles, threads and other forms.

Traditionally, sugar-figurine creations feature the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, flora and fauna, but Zhang said, "Sugar has infinite artistic possibilities."

In 2022, he first gained public attention when he shared a video showing how he created a "golden apple" from sugar.

"To my surprise, the video garnered over a million views within a few days," he said. "The viewers' overwhelming enthusiasm made me reflect — how could I remain content with simple creations? I must explore more potential of this ancient craft and infuse fresh vitality into it."

Photo shows hyper-realistic sugar artworks created by Zhang Bo. (Photo/Li Yifan)

After an online viewer suggested creating pieces related to daily life, Zhang began making sugar creations shaped like crayfish and chicken wings. He often visits supermarkets early in the morning to select the freshest chicken wings, then studies their bone structure and muscle fibers under a magnifying glass. For complex subjects like lobsters or cobras, he studies dissection videos and takes detailed notes.

Zhang's dedication to mastering his craft has remained strong over the years. He attends fine arts and sculpture workshops every two years to continue learning. With the popularity of short videos, he now starts each day by searching for inspiration on video platforms.

Recently inspired by the Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2," Zhang crafted a sugar-art version of the character.

Zhang believes sugar art is not just a livelihood but a medium for preserving traditional culture while innovating. "The new generation of artisans must adopt fresh approaches," he said. "By engaging with daily life and actively interacting with people, we can inject new vitality into this craft."