This year’s Lantern Festival has seen a fresh trend gaining traction among young people—reimagining traditional tangyuan, or glutinous rice dumplings, with contemporary designs that blend tradition with modern creativity.
Food artists are stepping away from conventional styles, infusing these festive treats with a modern flair by incorporating popular cultural icons. Among the most notable is Lin Yangfeng, a pastry chef and food blogger from Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Lin has garnered widespread attention for her innovative tangyuan creations inspired by characters Nezha and Aobing from the animated film Nezha 2. Additionally, she has incorporated traditional Chinese New Year couplets into her designs, bridging festive customs with new artistic expressions.
Each of Lin’s dumplings is a labor of love, carefully crafted with glutinous rice flour, edible pigments, and taro paste. The process takes 10 to 12 minutes per dumpling, with simple tools such as bamboo sticks used to outline and define the intricate features of the figures. “I believe that traditional Chinese cuisine should rise to the global stage,” Lin remarked. “We young people are eager to promote our legacy.”
Another standout artist, Xiao Xiao, a 20-year-old food blogger from Guangdong, has captured attention with her tangyuan shaped like humanoid robots featured in the 2025 Spring Festival Gala. Xiao, known for her youthful approach to traditional cooking, draws inspiration from her love of animation, comics, and games. She finds the versatility of dumplings an ideal medium for experimenting with modern, playful designs. “As a member of the younger generation, I’d like to integrate my cultural preferences into traditional Chinese dishes,” Xiao shared.
Creativity in dumpling-making now knows no bounds. Artists are fusing cultural elements from both domestic and international sources, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with this traditional dish. Xiao, for instance, has incorporated characters from globally recognized IPs like Bing Dwen Dwen, Chiikawa, and Zanmang Loopy into her dumpling designs, captivating fans of animation and pop culture.
Meanwhile, Tang Yao, a 37-year-old from Beijing and former restaurant owner, introduces a touch of Western influence to Chinese cuisine with her Disney Princess-themed tangyuan. Inspired by the vibrant colors of Snow White’s iconic outfit, Tang’s creations merge Western pop culture with Chinese culinary traditions in a visually stunning way. “I’m just creating something beautiful,” she said. “My family has a strong sense of celebration, and I love to reimagine traditional food in new forms.”
The response to these inventive creations has been overwhelmingly positive, with many appreciating the creativity, beauty, and cultural fusion that these modern tangyuan represent. As food artists continue to push the envelope, it’s clear that the humble tangyuan is no longer just a traditional treat but a canvas for boundless artistic expression.
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