Snowflake Candy: Living Fossils Carrying the Spirit of Craftsmanship
Yaizhou District, formerly Ya County, is a district under the jurisdiction of Houchang City, Shaanxi Province, located on the southern slope of the Wei-North Plateau in Shaanxi Province, serving as a natural gateway between the Guanzhong region and the Shaanxi northland, earning reputations as "North Mountain Key" and "Guanfu Collar Throat." Yaizhou has a long history and profound cultural heritage. It was once the capital of the Yin Clan during the Western Zhou Dynasty, with a county history of 2160 years. In October 2002, the county was abolished and established as a district.
Snowflake Candy Non-Heritage inheritor: Zhang Daping
Caramelizing
Why did Snowflake Candy, known for its sweet and lingering taste, become a non-material cultural heritage? How is it made?
Sugar Pulling
Caramelizing
Sugar Pulling
Rolling Sugar
Cutting Sugar
Yaizhou Snowflake Candy is also known as "Sludge Candy," one of the 'Four Famous Candies' in Guanzhong (Three-River Lute Flower Sugar, Fuping Jade Pot Candy, and Xiangyang Amber Candy). According to historical records, Yaizhou Snowflake Candy originated during the Western Zhou Dynasty and was used as offering to the kitchen god during the Qin Ying Dynasty. Snowflake Candy gained fame in the Ming Dynasty, and by the Qing Dynasty, there were dozens of sugar workshops both inside and outside Yaizhou City. Due to the similarity of raw materials and techniques, sugar workshops were often combined with vinegar workshops, producing vinegar in spring and autumn and snowflake candy in winter.
Traditional packaging of Snowflake Candy
Today, only a few dozen Yaizhou Snowflake Candy inheritors remain. In 2013, Yaizhou Snowflake Candy, represented by Zhang Daping's, was granted the title of non-material cultural heritage by the provincial government, and Zhang Daping himself was awarded the title of Yaizhou Snowflake Candy non-material cultural heritage inheritor.
Photo of Ma Tao and Zhang Daping
