Six generations of sweet heritage in Longxing ancient town

At a quiet workshop in Liangjiang New Area's Longxing Ancient Town, malt sugar perfumes the air. Sixth-generation sugar painting artist Li Mei dips her ladle into a pot of molten sugar and delicately pours it on a marble slab. With swift movements, she draws a Labubu sugar painting in minutes.

Li Mei draws a Labubu sugar painting. [Photo provided by Guo Shuyu]

Sugar painting is a folk art that uses sugar to create images, often with auspicious meanings. This sweet craftsmanship has been passed down in Li's family for over a century, with her ancestors making a living crafting sugar figures. Her grandfather turned it into festive joy, drawing wide-eyed children during the Spring Festival holiday. For Li, who grew up in an underprivileged family, it is the sweetest memory in her hardscrabble childhood.

After trying odd jobs and tailoring for a living, Li returned to the family legacy at 17. With a small stone slab and stand built by her father, she set up her first stall, blending sweet aromas with playful designs. "Everyone looked happy when they came to my stall, and I loved sharing that sweetness," Li recalls.

During this time, she met her husband Li Zhenjiang, a calligraphy and portrait artist. Inspired by him, Li began incorporating Chinese characters into her sugar art, using molten sugar to write flowing calligraphy and even hollowed script, a feat requiring precise control and steady hands.

Perfect sugar art demands patience and skill. "The sugar must be transparent, not sticky or runny. With properly heated sugar, the painting withstands sunlight without melting," she says.

Innovating beyond tradition, Li developed 3D sculptures and introduced vegetable-based colors. For her, sugar painting transcends technique. When agronomist Yuan Longping passed away, she paid tribute with a rice-production series, proving that sugar could narrate stories.

Li Mei displays her artworks in her workshop. [Photo provided by Zhang Yangyang]

Today, her 17-year-old daughter continues the legacy. Using Li's childhood tools, she hosted a Spring Festival stall at age 10 and now leads an intangible heritage project at her vocational school, introducing peers to traditional arts.

Though sugar painting has faded from mainstream popularity, Li is not worried. She actively participates in cultural and commercial events and has taken on over ten apprentices from across the country.

Her requirements of apprentices are clear: patience and sincerity. "You can't be in it for the money. Sugar painting requires focus, and it takes time to refine." She says, believing that as long as genuine passion remains, this craft will endure.