Food artists set holiday trend with modern tangyuan designs

This year's Lantern Festival has introduced a new trend popular among young people: tangyuan, the traditional glutinous rice dumplings, have been reinvented with creative designs that mix tradition and modern ideas.

Food artists are breaking away from conventional styles to infuse the festive treats with a modern twist by incorporating beloved cultural icons.

Lin Yangfeng, a pastry chef and food blogger from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, has garnered widespread attention with her tangyuan based on Nezha and Aobing, two iconic characters from the recent hit animated film Nezha 2. She also incorporated Chinese New Year couplets into her festive creations.

Lin meticulously crafts each dumpling using glutinous rice flour, edible pigment and taro paste, taking approximately 10 to 12 minutes for each piece. Simple tools like bamboo sticks help her outline the shapes and textures of the figures.

"I believe that traditional Chinese cuisine should rise to the global stage," she said. "We young people are eager to promote our legacy."

Xiao Xiao, a 20-year-old food blogger in Guangdong, has also caught attention with tangyuan shaped like the humanoid robots featured in the 2025 Spring Festival Gala.

"The versatility of dumplings allows me to experiment with different styles," Xiao explained. "As a member of the younger generation, I'd like to integrate my cultural preferences into traditional Chinese dishes."

Today, creativity in the dumping-making has no boundaries. Artists are blending cultural elements from home and abroad.

Xiao draws from her love of animation, comics, games and novels to create playful and modern dumplings featuring globally popular IPs such as Bing Dwen Dwen, Chiikawa and Zanmang Loopy.

Meanwhile, Tang Yao, a 37-year-old from Beijing and a former restaurant owner, brings a touch of Western charm to traditional Chinese cuisine with her Disney Princess tangyuan. Inspired by the vibrant colors of Snow White's outfit, she seamlessly blends the Western IP with Chinese culinary traditions.

"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."

Her creations have received highly positive feedback, with many appreciating the creativity and beauty of her dumplings.

Guo Yanqi contributed to this story.