Sugar painting master bridges past, present

As the inheritor of Wei's Sugar Painting – an intangible cultural heritage item from Linyi city in East China's Shandong province, Wei Shengguo's passion for sugar painting stems from his childhood.

The artist dedicated himself to mastering the craft at the age of 22, seeking guidance from renowned sugar painting masters across the country.

His expertise in sugar painting has matured and he has incorporated elements like paper cutting, shadow puppets and comics into his traditional techniques.

In a recent live broadcast on short-video platform Kuaishou, Wei showcased his talent by combining classic inheritance with innovative techniques.

With a small round spoon, Wei skillfully manipulated the thin sugar, creating an impressive arc in the air before sprinkling it onto a special platform.

The sugar then gradually solidified into brilliant and colorful patterns, depicting cartoon characters loved by children. This one-of-a-kind process was executed seamlessly and at a breathtaking speed.

Wei Shengguo creates a sugar painting. [Photo by Wei Shengguo for chinadaily.com.cn]

This fusion has led to the creation of his distinctive style, which features modern fashion elements and lifelike 3D designs. The works are cherished by both children and the elderly and are highly sought after by the younger generation.

With over two decades of experience, Wei believes that sugar painting is more than just an art form. He says it serves as a medium to convey beauty, express emotions and connect people and cultures. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)