Beijing Women's Federation

Scenes from an activity on traditional Chinese culture held by Beijing Women's Federation ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival.

 

At the invitation of Beijing Women's Federation (BWF), some representatives of the Capital’s Most Beautiful Families attended an activity on traditional Chinese culture in a cultural activity center in Huilongguan area, ahead of this year's Duanwu, or Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 22. Some attendees, who are also inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, spoke with participants about dough sculpture, paper-cutting and zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), helping them appreciate traditional Chinese culture related to the Dragon Boat Festival.

Scenes of an activity on traditional Chinese culture held by Beijing Women's Federation ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.

 

The special event aimed to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, promote the spirits of most beautiful families, and encouraged more families to follow the examples.

 

A Magical World behind Dough Sculpture

Yang Shouguang is a sixth-generation inheritor of Shandong-style dough figurine making craft, and his family is a Capital’s Most Beautiful Family of 2022. He has been engaged in this revered craft for nearly five decades. Zhao Caixiang, his wife, has always been the first audience of his artistic creations. Yang, who is 77 years old, has been pondering about how to better carry on dough sculpture. He has attended many sessions on culture and education in a move to promote the traditional art.

Yang Shouguang displays dough sculpturing techniques.

A display of dough figurines crafted by Yang Shouguang

 

During the activity, Yang demonstrated his works and spoke about details as well as making techniques, winning lots of acclaims from participants.

Yang Shouguang demonstrates how to make dough figurines.

Children learn to make their own dough sculpture works.

 

Attendees followed Yang to personally make their dough rabbits and fruits. They were very happy to produce their own figurines and learned more about the special handicraft.

Attendees learn to make dough figurines.

 

Portraying Major National Events with Paper Cutting Techniques

Guo Aixiang started to learn paper cutting art from her father Guo Xiusheng as a child and has become an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage. During the past few years, she has worked with her father to depict such major national events as the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, and the celebrations of 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China through their works, conveying positive energy and spirit of the Chinese nation.

Guo Aixiang shares stories about paper cutting.

 

Participants spoke highly of the exquisite paper cutting products made by Guo Aixiang and were touched by the stories she told.

Guo Aixiang displays her paper cutting works.

Guo Aixiang displays the paper cutting work Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Her father and she spent four years finishing the work.

 

She guided other participants to cut the Chinese character “福” (Fu), which refers to happiness in English, expressing best wishes to the families through the traditional art.

Guo Aixiang guides attendees to make paper cutting products.

 

Celebrating Duanwu Festival by Making Zongzi

During the activity, participants made Zongzi or glutinous rice dumplings together to celebrate the upcoming Duanwu Festival.

Participants make Zongzi.

 

After the conclusion of the event, many families said that they are willing to attend such cultural activities in the future.

A group photo of participants

 

"As an inheritor of dough sculpture, my main task is to foster a generation of young people who are enthusiastic about the intangible cultural heritage and willing to carry forward the traditional art," said Yang in an interview. Her wife conveyed thanks to BWF for organizing the cultural event and added that the couple will continuously engage in promoting traditional Chinese culture.

Hou Ning, whose family is one of the Capital’s Most Beautiful Families, expressed thanks to BWF and said that it is a valuable opportunity to learn from other model families and draw inspiration from them toward the building of a brighter future for family.