(ENG) Making sugar figurine is a traditional Chinese handicraft. The sugar material is made by heating sucrose and maltose. The natural color is brownish yellow, and some pigments are added to make it red or green. The control of the heat is the key when making it. If it is too hot, it will be too thin and easily deformed. If it is cold, it will be too difficult to shape figures. The tools are very simple, mostly are spoons and palette knives. The sugar figurines can be a variety of shapes. There are figures such as characters, animals, flowers and plants and so on, but most of them are animal-shaped. The most common ones are based on the Chinese zodiac. According to the different making techniques, the sugar figurine can be divided into three types: Blowing sugar, Sugar painting and Sugar shaping.

(DAN) Fremstilling af sukkerfigur er et traditionelt kinesisk håndværk. Sukkermaterialet fremstilles ved opvarmning af sukrose og maltose. Den naturlige farve er gulbrun, og nogle pigmenter tilsættes for at gøre den rødlig eller grønlig. Styringen af varmen er nøglen til en god sukkerfigur. Hvis det er for varmt, bliver det for tyndt og let at deformere. Hvis det er for koldt, vil det være svært at forme figurer. Værktøjerne er meget enkle, for det meste skeer og paletknive. Sukkerfigurerne kan have forskellige former. Der er figurer som karakter, dyr, blomster, planter og så videre, men de fleste af dem er dyreformede. De mest almindelige er baseret på det kinesiske stjernetegn. I henhold til de forskellige fremstillingsteknikker kan sukkerfigurerne opdeles i tre typer: Pustning af sukkerfigur, Sukkermaling og Sukkerformning.

Blowing Sugar Figurines and Sugar Painting

Pustning af Sukkerfigur og Sukkermaling

(ENG) “Blowing Sugar Figurines” is a traditional form of folk art, and it is said to have existed in the Song Dynasty, where it was called “drama candy”. The raw materials of “Blowing Sugar Figurines” are mainly caramel made by the artist himself, and the body of the figurine is coffee-colored. The main raw material for making malt candies is starch. The artists have their own unique formulas and cooking methods, so the accumulated experiences are very precious.

(DAN) ”Pustning af Sukkerfigurer” er en traditionel form for folkekunst, og det siges at have eksisteret i Song-dynastiet, hvor det blev kaldt for ”drama slik”. Råmaterialerne til ”Pustning af Sukkerfigurer” er hovedsageligt karamel fremstillet af kunstneren selv, og figurkroppen er kaffefarvet. Det vigtigste råmateriale til fremstilling af malt slik er stivelse. Kunstnerne har deres egne unikke opskrifter og metoder, så de akkumulerede erfaringer er meget dyrebare.

(ENG) When the “Blowing Sugar Figurines” artist heats the sugar to the correct temperature; a sugar ball is extracted. It is then kneaded in the artist’s hands to produce consistency and pliability. A thin straw is then inserted into the ball, and the artist begins to blow air into it, in order to slowly inflate it. Simultaneously, the artist pinches and pulls parts of the ball, by hand, or sometimes with tools to produce limbs, and various shapes. The key technique of “Blowing Sugar Figurines” is in the skill of blowing and pinching. Before the figure has completely cooled, colors are added to the surface, and a wooden stick is inserted into the underside.

(DAN) Når ”Pustning af Sukkerfigurer” -kunstneren varmer sukkeret op til den korrekte temperatur; en sukkerkugle ekstraheres. Det æltes derefter i kunstnerens hænder til at producere konsistens og bøjelighed. Et tyndt sugerør indsættes derefter i kuglen, og kunstneren begynder at blæse luft ind i den for langsomt at puste den op. Samtidig klemmer kunstneren og trækker dele af kuglen i hånden eller nogle gange med værktøjer til at producere lemmer og forskellige former. Det vigtigste i teknikken til ”Pustning af Sukkerfigurer” er dygtigheden i at blæse og klemme. Før figuren er helt afkølet, tilføjes der farver på overfladen, og en træpind indsættes i undersiden.

(ENG) The ”Sugar Painting” is mostly spread throughout Sichuan. The city of Zigong has the most variety, rich content, and most interesting shapes. The ”Sugar Painting” is drawn with the syrup on a slab as the “paper”. The slab is mostly made of smooth and cold marble, and a layer of anti-sticking oil is applied to it. After the solid sugar is boiled, the artist uses a small spoon to scoop the syrup which looks like silk and thread. Then he concentrates his strength on the wrist and takes the spoon as a brush pen. Since the hot liquid sugar could freeze solid if it cools, the artist has to produce his work very quickly. Soon a sugar painting of an animal or other figure is finished, and the painter separates the painting from the marble with a palette knife and stick a bamboo slip, and it is ready to be sold.

(DAN) ”Sukkermaling” er for det meste spredt over hele Sichuan. Byen Zigong har de mest forskellige, rige indhold og mest interessante former. ”Sukkermaling” er tegnet med siruppen på en plade som ”papir”. Pladen er for det meste lavet af glat og koldt marmor, og der påføres et lag anti-klæbende olie på den. Når det faste sukker er kogt, bruger kunstneren en lille ske til at øse siruppen, som ligner silke og tråd. Derefter koncentrerer han sig om sin styrke på håndleddet og bruger skeen som en pensel. Kunstneren skal fremstille sit værk meget hurtigt, eftersom det smeltet sukker hurtigt kan blive fast, hvis den bliver afkølet. Herefter er en sukkermaling af et dyr eller en anden figur færdiglavet, og maleren adskiller maleriet fra marmoren med en paletkniv og indsætter en bambuspind, og så er den klar til at blive solgt.

(ENG) According to the elderly, in the early years, there were people who sold “Sugar Blowing Figurines” in the streets. In order to make the business easier, the sugar figurine could be exchanged with toothpaste tube instead of money. Two tubes of toothpaste could be exchanged for a Monkey King or other sugar figurines. This was very popular among children. Children often squeezed out the toothpaste that has not been used up at home and exchanged the toothpaste tube for sugar figurines. The sugar figurine can be eaten after playing with it. It is both fun and delicious, and therefore it was loved by everyone.

(DAN) Ifølge de ældre, var der i de tidligere år nogle mennesker, som solgte ”Pustning af Sukkerfigurer” på gaderne. For at gøre handlen lettere kunne sukkerfiguren købes for tandpastatube i stedet for penge. To tuber tandpasta kunne man få for en Monkey King eller andre sukkerfigurer. Dette var meget populært blandt børn. Børn pressede ofte tandpastaen ud, som ikke var blevet opbrugt derhjemme og købte sukkerfigurer med tandpastatuben. Sukkerfiguren kan spises efter at have leget med den. Det er både sjovt og lækkert, og derfor blev det elsket af alle.

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