Art of Linqing Dough Sculpting
A set of dough ancient beauty sculptures created using Linqing's traditional dough sculpting techniques. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Dough sculpting, a treasured traditional Chinese art form, is often celebrated as ''three-dimensional painting.'' Linqing dough sculpting, a craft developed from the use of dough, has evolved over the course of centuries. It has become a sophisticated art that blends painting, carving, and design. Sharing roots with calligraphy and painting, it stands out for its practical application and artistic form.
A Linqing dough sculpture of Guan Yu, a prominent general from the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Building upon the traditional techniques of Shandong dough sculpting, this art form embraces the principles of "creative inheritance and innovative development," preserving its cultural essence while advancing new techniques.
A Linqing dough sculpture set of traditional opera characters. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Today, artisans have formed the Linqing Dough Sculpting Association to promote and sustain this unique craft. Through cultural heritage exhibitions, public sculpting competitions, and educational outreach in schools, the association is dedicated to broadening the art's influence and ensuring its continued legacy.