Dough modelling, commonly known as “dough figurines” “jiangmi flour people” or “kneading powder” uses mainly flour and glutinous rice flour, mixes them into different colours, and shapes various lifelike images with hands and simple tools. It has been passed down in China for 2,000 to 3,000 years.
The LuoZhuang Yimeng Dough Modelling’s origin, according to Wang’s ancestors, Wang Shuhai’s great-grandfather Wang An did the cooked wheaten food business due to family difficulties, and inadvertently came across Mr. Zhang who was good at dough figurines to this village, so they invited Mr. Zhang home to worship him as a teacher. After Mr. Zhang’s guidance, Wang Shuhai’s great-grandfather from doing steamed buns, shoutao (peaches of immortality), noodle fish and other noodle food business to do the business of dough modelling, dough figurines, Chinese Zodiac and so on. Since then, the Yimeng dough modelling technique has been passed down from generation to generation in the Wang family. In December 2016, The LuoZhuang Yimeng Dough Modelling was listed in the fifth batch of representative items of intangible cultural heritage in Linyi City.
As society progresses and modern products become more prevalent, dough modelling, a traditional handmade skill, is being replaced by more and more modern craft products and facing the situation of being on the verge of extinction. To preserve this ancient skill, Wang Shuhai and Dong Lihong established the “Wang’s Dough Modelling Studio.” On the one hand, they hoped to continue to carry forward the art of dough modelling handed down from their ancestors; on the other hand, they were also seeking breakthroughs in the content of their creations, such as the addition of historical figures and animated comics to the character portraits, while actively exploring the history and culture of Luozhuang, and integrating the characteristics of Luozhuang into their dough modelling techniques.
