In Xinzhou area, we should offer sacrifices to the gods for steaming during the New Year. Before the Spring Festival, dough was kneaded into offerings of various shapes, such as bergamot, pomegranate, lotus, peach, chrysanthemum and horseshoe. Commonly known as "Hua Mo".
Xinzhou steamed buns, often with red dates in the middle, are both decorative, nutritious and seasoning, and are very popular. There is also a big local sacrifice called "jujube hill". This kind of jujube mound is made by rolling jujube into an isosceles triangle, and the top of the corner is often molded with a layer of wishful patterns, on which three to five dough sculptures "small ingots" are added, and at the same time, a "dry dragon" biting copper coins is molded. After steaming, "jujube hill" can be dyed and become a beautiful folk art. ..
Tomb-Sweeping Day, kneading a kind of dough called "Cold Food Festival" by local people. This kind of noodle is filled with plain oil, salt, millet and sesame seeds, and kneaded into the heads of boys and girls, with red lotus beans as the mouth and black lotus beans as the eyes, plus a face, nose, ears and eyebrows. After steaming, touch and dye it, which is very innocent and lovely. Some also make a kind of "cold swallow", and pinch the steamed cold swallow and insert it on the branches of Zizyphus jujuba, much like a group of swallows stopping on the branches. According to legend, these folk dough sculptures are related to the "Cold Food Festival". "Cold food forbids fire, and cold food lasts for one day". Swallows symbolize the arrival of spring.
On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, Xinzhou people have the custom of steaming "noodles". According to legend, this custom began at the end of Yuan Dynasty. It is said that people send signals by giving each other "face people". Up to now, there is a saying among the people that "kneading dough on July 15th and killing tartars on August 15th". However, there are many kinds of dough figurines on July 15th, including cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits, cats, chickens, ducks, dolls, flowers, melons and fruits. There are also animal models such as mandarin ducks, peacocks, lions, tigers and deer, which contain happiness, auspiciousness and love. After the Tenth Five-Year Plan, almost every wall was hung with a string of dough figurines.
In Xinzhou area, on the wedding day, both men and women steam many big "happy buns". These big "happy buns" should be placed on the dining table for people to enjoy and taste. At the same time, a big "flower cake" should be steamed. In some places, it is customary to knead ten kilograms of flour into a "flower cake". This kind of flower cake takes flour as the round bottom, and the edge of the rolled strip has patterns. It is covered with a layer of red dates, with a layer of lace face plate slightly smaller than the first layer, and the floating plastic of "fish drilling lotus" is pinched on it. After steaming, it is colored and dotted, which can be enjoyed and eaten by people and can also be used as a gift.
During the birthday in Xinzhou area, "Happy Steamed Buns" are often steamed. "Happy steamed buns" are mostly peach-shaped, with various small decorations on them, symbolizing good luck and longevity. They are colored as "Longevity steamed buns" and given to relatives and friends.
When the funeral is held, the local people will also pinch a "dim sum" dough sculpture and offer it in front of the mourning hall. This dough sculpture is made into various images of flowers, fruits and small animals, which is very delicate and unique. Some have spots after steaming, and some have spots after drying.
In Fan Shi, Xinzhou, there is a small statue with the theme of fat doll. At the same time, there is a small and delicate, white and fat, elegant little face, without any coloring. This little face man has various postures of crawling, lying down, holding flowers and gnawing melons. Sometimes, it will be placed in "big flowers" dyed red and green. According to legend, this dough sculpture is a special offering made by local people in Wutai Mountain Buddhist Temple to pray for Buddha.
Xinzhou folk also have dough sculptures that portray dramatic figures such as life, Dan, Jing, Wei and Ugliness, and even sell them in the temple fair market. This kind of dough sculpture is also quite exquisite.
In a word, Xinzhou Dough Statues is varied and colorful, and has become a folk art with aesthetic taste.