Cai Xiaoxia teaches children how to make dough figurines. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Children in Rugao, a city administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, recently tried their hands at making dough figurines at a workshop conducted by Cai Xiaoxia, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage.

Children show their works. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Cai said she was delighted that children today are interested in making dough figurines as this allows her to pass on this ancient craft to more people.

Dough figurines of Mao Pijiang and Dong Xiaowan made by Cai Xiaoxia. [Photo/cpcrugao.cn]

Cai Family dough figurines are made from Rugao flour and glutinous rice powder. The process involves dozens of procedures, including steaming, boiling, cooling, and kneading.

A dough figurine of the God of Longevity by Cai Xiaoxia. [Photo/cpcrugao.cn]

The dough figurines made by Cai are mainly historical and mythological figures in Rugao, including the gifted scholar Mao Pijiang, the famous courtesan Dong Xiaowan from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), as well as the God of Longevity.