You may find this hard to believe that all these vivid and life-like figurines were made purely out of dough. Xu Xingtao, the dough modeling artist, is also the part of the sixth generation in Ningyang County, Taian city, Shandong Province to inherit the tradition. /VCG Photo.

He became interested in the skill 13 years ago. Over the years, he did not only master the traditional skills, but also improve the dough recipes and techniques, which further added a featured sense of elegance to his works. /VCG Photo.

Xu also works as an art teacher in a local primary school. His dough modeling class has always been the most popular course at the school, and won him lots of admiration from his students. As he said, “The happiest moment for me is to witness new works born by the hands of the younger generation, which keeps adding new vitality to our old tradition.” /VCG Photo.

Dough modeling is one of the traditional folk arts of Chinese culture. The works are usually themed on traditional characters featured with intricate details and bright colors. /VCG Photo.