Steamed Art: Flower Buns 花馍：蒸出来的艺术品

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North China has been the wheat production area since the ancient era. People there have long been experts in transforming the wheat flour into various kinds of wheaten food， the most typical of which is the bun. The bun， also called “the steamed bun”， is a traditional staple food in north China. People there also have long been making buns of various shapes and colors to express their aspirations and best wishes. They call those buns “flower buns”.

Flower buns originated from the change of Chinese folk custom on sacrifice， in which people replaced slaughtered cattle and sheep with dough made animals as sacrifices. With their vivid appearance， flower buns are especially popular in the Yellow River Region in general and provinces like Shanxi， Shaanxi， Shandong and Henan in particular.

Flower buns can fulfill food， visual and etiquette functions. For generations， people along both banks of the Yellow River have been subtly expressing their feelings and emotions through flower buns. And flower buns are an art by women indeed. Usually women gather together to make flower buns whenever there is a big day or event.

中国北方自古以来就是小麦产区。（剩余2248字）