What is a sugar cock?

Blow out the shape of a cock with syrup.

Blowing sugar factory was an industry in old Beijing. It is called "sugar blower" in Beijing dialect, which is one of the folk handicrafts in China. The vendors walked up and down the street with a pole on their shoulders. At one end of the pole is a rectangular cabinet with a shelf. There is a semi-circular wooden cage with an opening and a small charcoal stove under the cabinet. The big spoon on the stove is filled with syrup (obtained by melting maltose).

Many craftsmen are both sugar blowers and sugar painters. It is easier to draw a sugar man than a sugar blower. First, gently rub the linoleum on the marble slab, scoop up a little syrup with a very delicate little copper spoon, and it will flow out slowly when it is slightly tilted. As the wrist flies up and down, people, animals or flowers will appear on the marble slab, and they will remain cold and stereotyped.

Extended data

Historical legends-

It is said that the granddaddy of the sugar blower is Liu Bowen. It is said that Zhu Yuanzhang built a "hero pavilion" to burn heroes in order to pass on the throne from generation to generation. Liu Bowen narrowly escaped and was saved by an old man who carried the burden of sugar man. They changed their clothes, and since then, Liu Bowen has remained anonymous, picking sugar people to change rags every day.

In the process of selling sugar, Liu Bowen creatively softened sugar and made all kinds of sugar people, such as chickens and puppies, which were so cute that children rushed to buy them. On the way, many people asked Liu Bowen to teach them to blow sugar, and Liu Bowen taught them one by one. As a result, this craft has been passed down from mouth to mouth, and it is said that it has a history of more than 600 years.