In Xiamen City, Fujian Province, Pan Haiyuan’s chisel has danced across wood for 38 years, carving intricate molds for glutinous rice cakes and mooncakes that taste like tradition. 🎂 His creations – adorned with dragons, phoenixes, and other symbols of prosperity – are more than kitchen tools: they’re a living museum of Chinese culture, now recognized as Xiamen’s intangible cultural heritage.
But this artisan’s workshop tells a bittersweet story. Machines now mass-produce cheaper molds, shrinking demand for handmade artistry. Pan’s craft once drew visitors from across the country, yet today, it struggles to support his family. 🔄 'Young people want quick results,' he explains, noting that mastering his techniques takes years of unpaid apprenticeship – a hard sell in our fast-paced, gig-economy world.
Still, Pan persists. His latest mooncake mold – etched with the Mid-Autumn Festival’s iconic jade rabbit – blends centuries of symbolism with modern precision. 🐇✨ As CGTN’s recent documentary reveals, he’s racing against time to find successors before this cultural legacy becomes history.
