In a break from their busy Expo schedules, a group of pavilion staff from various countries visited the Yangpu District to learn more about local art forms. Fei Lai was there to capture their reactions.

It is really interesting to watch a group of foreigners crowding around folk artists at work. They blink curiously, keep asking "how?" and show an eagerness to learn from the local artists who patiently demonstrate their handicraft to them.

This very scene occurred when a group of almost 70 representatives from pavilions at the Expo took time off to visit New Jiangwan Ecological Community in Yangpu District, embracing the district's artistic charm.

The folk artists were so willing to teach and with the help of volunteers from nearby universities, the foreigners listened, watched and practised attentively.

Dough sculpture

The most eye-catching work at the site was the Yangpu Dough Sculpture.

The Ma family has been known for making dough sculptures for three generations in the district. Colored pieces of dough are turned into expressive and lively figures in several minutes with Qi Yiping's trained hands.

Qi's father-in-law Ma Jincheng is the best-known apprentice of the Shanghai dough sculpture master Zhao Kuoming. All of their work is characterized by vivid and lifelike cartoon characters and legendary figures from traditional Chinese operas.

"It is a folk art which integrates history, archeology, sculpture and aesthetics," Qi said. "Being delicate, exquisite and tactical, it is a popular art form enjoyed by people of all ages."

Qi put the process for making perfect dough into three simple steps: cook the flour, add color and then blend them.

"Through years of development, we've found ways to make it free from becoming mouldy and color-fading," Qi said. "Ingredients usually include honey, lard, powdered sugar and refined powder, which are made soluble by adding boiling water. Later, it is all mixed together with the flour.

"Edible pigments that form pastes of different colors are added during this stage. The pastes need to be steamed for two to three minutes."

Normally, folk art seldom passes down to someone who is not from the family but the Ma family is tolerant. Not only are Ma's grandchildren little experts now, everybody's children can pick it up.

Since 1999, Qi has established workshops to cultivate students' interest in this art form. Her students now total more than 1,000.

In making dough sculptures, one needs to use tools such as scissors, small knife, comb and needle. For beginners, it is easier to start kneading using set patterns. Techniques such as using fingertips to twiddle, knead and twine will lead the dough to become true-life figures.

"In my eyes, dough sculpture is the source of happiness and satisfaction," Qi said. "With highlights including lifelike expression, gesture and dresses, each dough sculpture has a soul."

Qi is good at making dough portraits. She says it feels good to make someone say "wow" at his or her own portrait.

These days, the Ma family has achieved more than 50 high-end designs featuring auspicious Chinese characters and legendary scenes - either representing the goodness of family, fortune and long life, or good luck. To add more modern elements and appeal to more young people, dough sculptures of mascots and celebrities have been developed.

Face painting

Jacob Brown, a student ambassador from the USA Pavilion, lingered around the art stalls, finding it an amazing contrast with Shanghai's modern tastes.

"Fast-paced city life meets profound cultural heritage with history," said Brown. "What a marvelous mixture it brings!"

As a newcomer to Shanghai, Brown has been living in the city for only two months. As a language student, he had no difficulty in understanding Chinese. No wonder he was the most active one, talking freely with folk artists and expressing his strong urge to try.

What he showed most interest in was the facial makeup for Peking Opera characters. Even though he had never been to Beijing and never used a Chinese writing brush, he was now sitting beside Li Jiahua, a local expert in painting Peking Opera characters, holding a writing brush in his hand and trying to draw on a half-finished face.

The procedure usually begins with working out a draft with pencil on a plaster model. After that, color is applied to it.

"Eyes and eyebrows are the most difficult part," Li told Brown. "It's also a stereotype to make the face look symmetrical. A slight difference will add artistic effect."

Li mentioned that his father was a Peking Opera fan and he followed the hobby. However, being a fan can hardly guarantee one to be a good painter.

"It is an art form that requires practice year after year," Li said. "More importantly, you have to know about history, historic characters, environment and each character's personality."

Zhang Xiaochang, Li's friend, who used to be a ship's captain, sailing on international lines in South Asia for 40 years, added that the art form had enriched his retired life.

"I love Peking Opera yet found no one in the community could teach me after I retired. Then I met Li, who later became my friend," Zhang said. "At first, I could hardly grasp a writing brush. However, one and a half years later, I'd call myself a master now."

As the cradle of modern and contemporary industries in the city, Yangpu is now promoting its profound cultural heritage to friends from all walks of life.

Other intangible cultural heritages in Yangpu

Palm leaf weaving

Palm leaf weaving is a traditional handicraft popular in Shanghai. Generally, a craftsman uses a stick from the leaf to make a skeleton, then with all sorts of techniques which used to belong to grass weaving or bamboo weaving, he tears, winds, pulls, bends, pricks, makes holes and knots, interweaves and clears the edges, to create different small animals like frogs, dragonflies or crickets. The craftsman then sticks them on a straw handle to sell in the streets. They are popular with children.

Festive lanterns

This art form uses bamboo wood, reed and iron wires as the skeleton, colored paper and silk as the covering, combining the arts of calligraphy and painting, paper cutting, engraving and weaving into one. A lantern made by Li Zheng, a local artist from Yangpu, is lit by the installation of LED lamps.

Shanghai Huayang-jing ballad

This is like a Shanghai-style rap. Traditionally, folk artists will sing while doing paper cutting. What they sing would be greatly varied according to the artist's age, identity and gender. Zheng Shulin, the representative for this art form, has established his own studio in the district.