The rice dough man has arrived! As the word passes along the grapevine, the children visiting the Jungshing Garden in Taipei flock to Lee Chin-yu's makeshift "theater." Here, such legendary figures as the pig, monk and monkey from the Pilgrims to the West, and Kuan Kung, Yueh Fei, Kung Ming and Chao Tzu-lung, generals of the Three Kingdoms, and such immortals as Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy), Na Cha, and other figures from the past are all lined up--waiting to be eaten.

Using simple tools such as comb, scissors, and a cow horn stick, Lee can shape the rice dough in the shades of white, pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and black, into a variety of characters to delight his young audience.

He begins to work his magic by scooping out a blob of red dough from his multi-purpose box, which also serves as his table. After molding it to an oval, he uses his horn stick to shape nose, eyes, lips and Whiskers. The children watch bewitched until one of them breaks the spell by calling out in delight: "Why! it's Kuan Kung!"

After the face has been molded, Lee uses green, yellow and purple rice dough to fashion the hat and its ornaments. Working quickly, he shapes a pair of black boots with pink soles, a ferocious-looking waist ornament, and long gown. Using a pair of scissors, Lee cuts out two hands, and five fingers, and joins the arms to the shoulders.

To make the weapons, Lee covers a bamboo stick with red rice dough to make the handle of a saber, and uses green dough with white edges for the blade. After a while, the weapon for which Kuan Kung is most famous is planted firmly in his hands. To finish his masterpiece, Lee fixes a long beard made from black dyed cotton, and suddenly there appears in all his splendor the great general of the age of the Three Kingdoms.

Lee continues to breathe life into this inanimate rice dough until enough figures are created to start an adventure story of their own.

"I started to learn the craft from my nephew, who is 3 years older than I, in Shangtung province at the age of 15. It took me three years and four months of intense study to become a master myself. During this period, we roamed on foot, carrying our workshop and personal possessions all over the China mainland, fashioning the rice dough figures as we went," Lee recalls.

They undoubtedly took with them surprises and a source of laughter for children in cities, small towns and villages alike. Lee braved snow, rain and scorching sun, but like a seed, he took root wherever the wind carried him.

After the war of resistance against Japan broke out, he settled down in Taiwan, and used Keelung as his base to continue selling the rice dough figurines on the island. Now 77 years old, Lee has built up a formidable reputation. During the Ghost Festival, Buddhist and Taoist celebrations, or on private occasions such as weddings and funerals, people order special treats such as the "eight immortals passing through the sea" to augment the usual decorations of flowers, fruit and food.

Lee never considers retiring his unusual business. He enjoys his work, his vagrant life and the happy times he has with the children. Every Saturday and Sunday, he turns up regularly at the Junghsing Garden to keep his enthusiastic fans happy.

He usually prepares the rice dough at home the day before he puts on his show. After mixing flour and glutinous rice powder in the proportions of 2 to 1 with water, Lee boils the dough for a few minutes, When the mixture is cool, he adds sugar, banana oil and food coloring, then heats it again to preserve it.

The figures can be bought individually for NT$30 to NT$150 per piece, depending on size. Lee assures onlookers that his masterpieces are certainly edible-though many people find them too lifelike to eat.

Though during his long life, his nimble fingers have become stiff and wrinkled, Lee has never lost his enthusiasm for the ancient craft. With the most up-to-date electronic toys now available, it seems inevitable that the art will gradually die out.

"Nowadays, no one has the time or inclination to learn my craft. The candy blower over there comes closest to following me," he says.

Weng Teng-hsien, the candy blower in question is busy placing his finished sugar figures including mouse, elephant, tiger, monkey and grapes into holes drilled around the edges of a wooden board. Fascinated children watched him carefully mixing and stirring molten sugar in a container over a small burner.

To make his tasty toys, he first dips a spatula into the syrup, and removes a blob off the end with his fingers. Before the syrup hardens, he quickly forms a hollow ball around his thumb. Then he pulls the mass out, stretching it until the end becomes a narrow tube. Next, he carefully lays the blob into a mold, which has been powdered with cornstarch to keep the syrup from sticking.

Slipping the candy tube into his mouth, he begins to blow. It takes powerful lungs to force air through such a tiny aperture...but slowly the sugar expands to fill the mold. When the candy is fully inflated, he produces a bamboo stick from his bag, puts a dab of hot sugar on it, and pushes it through the bottom of the figure to make a handy holder.

Although it may seem simple to make such a treat, the candy blower points out that it takes experience to time and control each step in the procedure. He admits, however, that the skill needed to fashion rice dough figures is much harder to acquire.

As time passes, more and more folk handicrafts which existed in an earlier agricultural society have gradually disappeared. The exquisite crafts of the rice dough man and the candy blower still evoke nostalgia for the good old days among older spectators, as well as delight among the children.

[Picture Caption]

1. Chao Tzu-lung (left) and the monkey (right). 2. Children with candy figures. 3. Rice dough man Lee Chin-yu demonstrating his art at the Jungshing Garden. 4. A young brother and sister are delighted with their "pig" and "monkey" purchases.

1. Lee has more than 50 years experience in molding rice dough figures. 2. Legendary figures from the past are brought back to life. 3. The colorful parrot and carp. 4 & 5. Lee fashioning the red face and hat of Kuan Kung.

1-4. After legs, armor, arms and a saber are added, a life-like Kuan Kung emerges. 5. The portable zoo of candy blower Weng Teng-hsien.

Above: The candy blower forces air through a tiny aperture in a candy tube, and slowly the sugar expands to fill the mold. Right: Candy animals are a favorite treat for the children.

Children with candy figures.

Rice dough man Lee Chin-yu demonstrating his art at the Jungshing Garden.

A young brother and sister are delighted with their "pig" and "monkey" purchases.

Lee has more than 50 years experience in molding rice dough figures.

Lee has more than 50 years experience in molding rice dough figures.

Legendary figures from the past are brought back to life.

The colorful parrot and carp.

Lee fashioning the red face and hat of Kuan Kung.

After legs, armor, arms and a saber are added, a life-like Kuan Kung emerges.

After legs, armor, arms and a saber are added, a life-like Kuan Kung emerges.

After legs, armor, arms and a saber are added, a life-like Kuan Kung emerges.

After legs, armor, arms and a saber are added, a life-like Kuan Kung emerges.

The portable zoo of candy blower Weng Teng-hsien.

The candy blower forces air through a tiny aperture in a candy tube, and slowly the sugar expands to fill the mold. Right: Candy animals are a favorite treat for the children.

The candy blower forces air through a tiny aperture in a candy tube, and slowly the sugar expands to fill the mold. Right: Candy animals are a favorite treat for the children.

The candy blower forces air through a tiny aperture in a candy tube, and slowly the sugar expands to fill the mold. Right: Candy animals are a favorite treat for the children.