Today is International Worker’s Day. In China, many humble and diligent workers are creating happiness with their own hands, including a woman who has transformed the seemingly simple flower bun into a business for herself and her daughter.  

A local specialty in east China's Shandong Province, flower buns are made from flour. Local craftsmen use special tools to mold these ordinary buns into artistic treats.

Lin Hong has fond childhood memories of making flower buns. "My mother was well-known for her ingenuity. She would often help neighbors to cook when they have visitors at home and she did so free. In return, neighbors would give us steamed buns of all flavors as a gratitude," she says. "The buns were made from flour and eggs, not like the buns we usually ate. It was the best thing a family could offer at that time.”

Lin's mother once made huge tiger-shaped buns. They were so vivid that they attracted foreign visitors.

Lin never anticipated flower buns to be such a huge part of her life. After getting married, Lin moved to the city. With a sharp mind and diligence, she worked as a civil servant, and later, started a successful advertisement business.

Things changed in 2007, when her seven-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cerebrovascular stenosis. She would get headaches when she felt nervous. Lin tried everything she could to help her daughter for medical treatment. Along with the illness, she also worried about other things: "She couldn't go to school anymore. I had to make a plan for her future, to lay a solid foundation for her while I could, so that she could survive in society with dignity after I pass away.”

Lin soon came up with the idea of making flower buns, telling CGTN, "it's nothing that needs high technology. You can do it as long as you are honest and determined." She wanted to make buns as tasty and attractive as her mother.

In her spare time, Lin began to research recipes for Shandong flower buns. She would visit people who made good buns and bring them fruit and meat as presents. In Zeku township, people didn't hesitate to share recipes of their buns with her so that she could improve her own buns back home.

After eight years of learning recipes, Lin made the leap and opened her business. She began selling her buns in 2014 when her daughter was recovering from surgery. At first, she promoted them online and asked friends to bring them to different cities all over the country. She'd shape her buns into cute animals and give them traditional cultural meanings. And she'd introduce them simply as "Chinese cake" to attract foreign tourists.

When it comes to mass production, preservation seems to be the most difficult aspect. However, Lin refuses to add any kind of preservatives to her product due to food safely concerns: "I make the buns for my daughter. We must only offer the society what we eat ourselves. We use vegetable juice and fruit juice to adjust colors. Everything is edible. Our workers get up very early. They make the buns in the shortest time with the best cooling and sterilizing equipment. We use the most scientific method and the fastest delivery company. There's no other way to do it.”

For the last three years, Lin has woken up for work at four or five in the morning, and gets home late in the evening. She has always been highly motivated. She taught her daughter that: "Everyone has difficulties in this world. We have to face them in a positive way. If you can overcome the pain and build character in yourself, then you cannot be defeated.”

Lin's daughter has now fully recovered, and is working with her mother, taking orders and dispatching the buns. "She's not like a dropout at all," Lin says. "I wanted to find happiness for my daughter. She is now going for it, and she loves the job.”

Lin's Flower Buns have become an international bestseller with annual sales of over 10 million yuan. Despite the profit, the love and strength of a mother is priceless, and it is this that she holds dearest.