A piece of golden and crispy pine candy carries the feelings of many Xingping people. This traditional snack popular in northern Guizhou has a history of more than 200 years. Its unique flavor and soft and crispy texture have made it sought after by people to this day. In 2023, Xingping Songhua Candy will be included in the ninth batch of representative items of intangible cultural heritage at the autonomous region level. As a new generation of Xingping Songhua candy handmade heir, Han Yong has been diligent and diligent for many years, and has been committed to passing on the handmade skills of Xingping Songhua candy.
Inheritance of skills Stick to the original intention
Han Yong, the inheritor of Xingping Songhua candy handmade skills: I came back in 2009, and I studied for about two years after I came back. In fact, at first, I didn't know anything about this, and I didn't know how to burn the most basic fire, and then I slowly mastered all the processes by asking others for advice and learning. If you say that it takes a lot of perseverance and patience to make this embryo, because it has to be stirred constantly by burning the fire, it will take about two hours, and you can't give up when the temperature is particularly high in the summer, if you give up, the whole work will be wasted, and the pot will be easy to waste.
The whole production process of Songhua candy is relatively cumbersome, including making embryos, beating powder, opening powder, rolling skin, and cutting strips...... In order to maintain the best taste of Songhua sugar, Han Yong has always insisted on hand-made. Especially when frying fruits, the temperature of the firewood is softer, unlike gas or electricity, which is relatively dry, and it is more convenient to grasp the oil temperature and the crispiness of the fruit. Han Yong has to go through each process by hand in order to keep it in the best condition, and it is this kind of craftsmanship spirit that makes Han Yong's Songhua candy gain a good reputation in Xingping Town.
(Make handmade pine candy)
Keep pace with the times, improve and innovate
Han Yong, the successor of Xingping Songhua Candy's handmade skills: At the beginning, Songhua Candy was made by my father-in-law and mother-in-law, and Songhua Candy was a relatively physically demanding handmade product, but later because they were getting older and their physical condition was not allowed, so we came back in 2009. After I came back, I followed my father-in-law and mother-in-law to learn how to make pine candy. When I first took over, Songhua Candy Store was just a small handicraft workshop composed of two or three people, and the output at that time was more than ten catties per day, and it was only facing the local market. With the popularity of Xingping tourism and the increasing popularity of Songhua sugar, Songhua candy has gradually been accepted by tourists, and our output has also increased relatively. We have upgraded the packaging of the product according to the original basis, like before we were this kind of paper packaging, but this kind of packaging is not convenient for tourists to carry, so we entered the revision, with this food-grade packaging, and also with this independent packaging to facilitate tourists to eat more hygienic and concise.
Improved packaging
In terms of taste, Han Yong conforms to the preferences of young people now, and has developed chives, osmanthus and monk fruit flavored products, not only in terms of product packaging and output, but also registered trademarks, and in order to facilitate tourists to buy, online sales channels have also been added, some sales on WeChat Taobao, and express logistics cooperation, so that more people can enjoy Xingping's food in other places. With many TV stations coming to promote and shoot, Xingping Songhua Candy is becoming more and more popular.
Han Yong, the successor of Xingping Songhua candy handmade skills: Nowadays, in Xingping Ancient Street, there are many small shops selling Songhua candy. Xingping Songhua candy has attracted many tourists, and it has also become the hometown taste that travelers miss abroad. Traditional craftsmanship can not be forgotten, nor can it be lost, time-honored brands must be inherited, but also have changes, to keep up with the times. Next, on the basis of inheriting the traditional craftsmanship, we use modern technology to improve, while continuing the traditional old taste, develop more new flavors, have more space for customers to choose, let more people know Songhua sugar, and let the old taste show new vitality. I hope to carry forward the spirit of our craftsmen in Yangshuo, pass on this craft, and go further and further.
Author: Li Yating, Wu Yan