Dough is ready to be steamed. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Despite the freezing weather, a steamed bun workshop in Baipu town, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, was bustling with workers and eager customers.

The smell of freshly steamed buns filled the air, representing both the villagers' longing for traditional Chinese New Year flavors and their hopes for a prosperous year ahead.

Since the steaming season started on the fifth day of the 12th lunar month, the shop has been making traditional fermented buns for nearly 100 local households, drawing villagers from nearby counties like Rudong and Tongzhou.

Workers put the dough into a steamer. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The owner of this steamed bun workshop is 77-year-old Wu Diquan, who has been assisting villagers in steaming buns for the past 20 to 30 years. Each year, he operates the business for just over 20 days before the Chinese New Year, not for profit, but to preserve the traditional fermentation method of steaming buns in the countryside.

The helpers at the workshop are mostly experienced villagers over 70 years old from nearby areas. Every year, after the start of the 12th lunar month, the workshop becomes a lively gathering place steeped in the essence of the Chinese New Year. Villagers who have pre-ordered steamed buns bring their own ingredients, such as pork and shredded radish, sweet bean paste, and salted vegetables with shredded meat.

Workers are busy unloading the steamed buns. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Wu mentioned that whenever villagers come to have their buns processed, they leave with joy and satisfaction, making the hard work worthwhile for him and the helpers. These traditionally fermented buns help villagers reconnect with the festive atmosphere of their memories, filling them with a sense of pride.

"The buns are ready! Time to unload!" said a helper tending the boiler. Steam billowed from the 23-layer steamer, filling the workshop with warmth and the rich aroma of fermentation. Villagers busied themselves unloading the buns, skillfully carrying out traditional tasks like applying red dots. Breaking open a bun released the fragrant aroma of the filling, embodying their simplest form of happiness.