For most Chinese, dough is only used to make noodles, dumplings and steamed buns. This is not the case for some intangible cultural inheritors in Xi’an, who can turn dough into lifelike figurines.

At a recent gathering, folk artists mixed wheat flour in a container and slowly added water, then steamed the dough for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Xi’an dough modeling products on display. With a long history and a rich cultural heritage, Xi’an dough modeling is one of the most popular folk arts in China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

It usually takes two to three hours to finish the preparation work of dough modeling.

To make a figurine's head, the folk artists sprinkled flesh-colored pigment into the dough and kneaded it into a small ball. With a plastic knife, they carved and molded the outline of the chin, nose and eyes in just several minutes.

The folk artists created figurines ranging from classic fairies and characters in famous novels to historical figures in the country. Some of the figurines looked smart and lively, while others appeared quiet and at ease.

Dough figurines have become an art form to show the beauty of Chinese history.