US dazzled by Chinese traditional arts

Artisans demonstrate paper cutting, sugar drawing and dough modeling. A group of them have brought traditional Chinese folk arts to the United States, as this year marks the 46th anniversary of China-US "ping-pong diplomacy".[Photo/Xinhua]

BOCA RATON, Florida－In a booth at Sunset Cove Amphitheater, a huge outdoor venue in Boca Raton, Li Jun, in his traditional Tang suit, was drawing a dragon in caramel on his iron pad.

With a spoon in hand, he swirled his wrist, carefully contouring this auspicious creature, before pressing a bamboo stick on it and shoveling the whole thing off the pad. Complicated as the dragon shape appeared to be, it took Li only about three minutes to finish.

"If I hold a party this time next year, can I invite him to do this for my guests?" a middle-aged woman only identified as Jennifer, asked a volunteer translator, her eyes fixed on the dragon.

Sugar drawing, a traditional Chinese folk art using hot caramel to create two-dimensional figures, is among many folk skills on display until April 9 at the Chinese Lantern Festival in Palm Beach County, a paradise for holidaymakers in South Florida.

Most of the artisans who have traveled to the United States are from China's Hebei province. This is their second stop, after Virginia. They have brought paper cutting, dough modeling and straw weaving across the Pacific.

Just a few steps away, a clay sculpture artist was also surrounded by dozens of local visitors who, in astonishment, observed him finishing the sculpture of two children in just 15 minutes.

Artisans demonstrate paper cutting, sugar drawing and dough modeling. A group of them have brought traditional Chinese folk arts to the United States, as this year marks the 46th anniversary of China-US "ping-pong diplomacy".[Photo/Xinhua]