How sugar blowing, a Hong Kong intangible cultural heritage, is being kept alive

Hongkonger Anne Sit Kim-ping rolls a chunk of hot, sticky sugar into a ball and wraps it around a small skewer. With a bit of pinching and pulling, sometimes with the help of scissors, she transforms it into the shape of a shrimp. Her handiwork takes less than two minutes: speed is a crucial factor in the art of sugar sculpting and blowing, the focus of a workshop that Sit is hosting for about 20 people. “If you’re too slow, or the sugar cools, it hardens into an unworkable lump,” she says. Temperature control is crucial, so much so that Sit adjusts the air conditioner. “It’s better when it’s a bit warmer.” Much like a baker working with dough, a sugar sculpture is a hands-on skill that involves a lot of kneading and pulling. Just like with bread making, there is a science behind it, one that is also dictated by time and temperature. If the sugar is too hot, it becomes watery. If it is too low, it solidifies, making it hard to create delicate shapes. “It is all about finding the right balance between temperature and humidity,” Sit says, adding that the heating time is adjusted according to the season and weather. “The sugar syrup is heated to around 165 degrees Celsius [329 degrees Fahrenheit] to 185 degrees Celsius to reach the hard ball stage, where it is pliable but not too sticky.” A trick she uses to see if it is ready is a cold water test. “Drop a bit of syrup into iced water, and if it forms a crunchy ball, it’s ready.” The workshop – held at 618 Shanghai Street, a revitalised cluster of shophouses, or tong lau, in Hong Kong’s Mong Kok neighbourhood – is part of the Jockey Club ICH+ Innovative Heritage Education Programme, which aims to preserve and promote the city’s intangible cultural heritage. The workshop starts with a demonstration by Sit, who then invites people to let their imagination run wild by sculpting an animal. The second part focuses on shaping a functioning whistle. The lesson’s final part is dedicated to sugar blowing, which, much like glass blowing, involves artists using their mouths to inflate a ball of caramelised sugar that is then sculpted into a 3D figurine. “You take a piece of soft sugar which is about 60 degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius – the softer it is, the hotter it feels – and quickly shape it into a hollow tube ready for blowing,” Sit says. The hardest part, she says, is shaping it while blowing. “It’s a fragile and delicate process that can take years to master. “Even blowing air into the tube isn’t as easy as it seems; you need to blow gently to puff it up at first and control your airflow so that the balloon grows evenly instead of bursting.” Some guests create smooth, delicate balloons. Others are a tad deflated. But the result does not matter because the common goal is having fun, Sit says. And a bonus is they get to keep their sweet treats. But Sit is filling more than sugar fairy shoes; she is helping to keep a Hong Kong tradition alive. In 2014, the blown sugar technique, a traditional folk art, was recognised as part of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage. Its history stretches back to China’s Song dynasty (960-1279), where the craft is believed to have originated. Back then, craftsmen wandered the streets holding a pole with a sugar-heating stove on one end and maltose and utensils on the other. For this lesson, Sit’s equipment is made up of a wooden box with three metal containers filled with the gooey substance, each heated by a tea candle. “Different sugar artists have their own secret recipes.” For this class, Sit uses maltose, a type of sugar that, when heated, is brownish-yellow. Food colourings – in this case red, blue and yellow – are added later. “It is common for learners to get blisters from trying to mould the sugar, so we are using maltose because it’s not as hot as isomalt,” she says, referring to another sugar substitute that is commonly used in sugar sculpting because it closely mimics the physical properties of sugar. Low in calories, isomalt is also better for dental and digestive health. “Isomalt is less sweet – also less yummy – than maltose but is more suitable for people with diabetes to consume, so what substance you use depends on your target users,” says Sit. Figurines representing the Chinese zodiac are popular, as are flowers, birds, insects and fish. Modern twists include themed shapes that celebrate events such as the Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and Halloween. Mastering the art of sugar blowing requires a lot of practice. Having a great teacher also helps, and Sit was fortunate enough to cross paths with Hongkonger Louis To Wun, one of the few sugar art masters in the city. Known affectionately as “Sugarman”, To has spent the past 16 years making and selling his intricate treats on the island of Cheung Chau. “Preserving cultural traditions is important,” says To from the Indonesian island of Bali, where he is sharing candy making with children at schools and orphanages. A self-taught artist, To compares making figurines to doing a magic trick. The craft also stirs sweet childhood memories. “When I saw candy making as a kid, it was like magic to me as I grew up in a very raw environment with few material things and no media.” When he discovered that the heritage craft was disappearing, he was determined to help keep it alive. “I wanted to revive this ancient craft in a modern way to let my own family experience this sweet childhood memory,” he says. “Over the years, I have witnessed a joy so pure among all ages … this little candy magic brings out the child in everyone.” Bringing joy to people also motivates Sit, who has always been drawn to craftsmanship. “I believe traditional crafts carry rich cultural and life wisdom passed down by our ancestors,” she says. At its core, sugar blowing brings joy and wonder to people, and losing these traditions would be sad, she adds. “With over a thousand years of history, it would be a heartbreaking loss if it were to disappear now.” She says some intangible qualities, passed down for centuries, remain relevant today. “Beyond being edible, playful and visually appealing, the process of mastering sugar blowing teaches patience and adaptability,” she says. “Sometimes, you plan to create a specific shape, but if part of the sugar hardens, you have to improvise and create something new.” This kind of training, says Sit, is perfect for today’s fast-changing world, especially one where technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise. “With AI advancing rapidly and many jobs said to be at risk of replacement, traditional hands-on crafts like sugar blowing remain uniquely human. They might even become a new path forward – at least that is the case for me.” Sit is making sure the craft is accessible to all. “Last year, we hosted free blown-sugar workshops for 20 primary and secondary schools and NGOs across Hong Kong, benefiting not only able-bodied people but also the elderly, disadvantaged communities and people with disabilities,” she says. “The activities bring joy and new experiences to participants – after all, nobody can resist the temptation of sweet candy.” A sugar art exhibition, showcasing works by people with and without disabilities, will be held at 618 Shanghai Street in December.

How sugar blowing, a Hong Kong intangible cultural heritage, is being kept alive

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}In today’s fast-changing world, some fading traditions are worth holding onto. For two Hongkongers, that is the art of sugar blowing

In today’s fast-changing world, some fading traditions are worth holding onto. For two Hongkongers, that is the art of sugar blowing