A cook shows off her bobo creations. [photo by Ju Chuanjiang]

"This was bought by a customer for his 80-year-old mother's birthday celebration, that was made to celebrate a baby's 100-day birthday," Lin Rongtao said pointing to another creation, "we make different bobo for different festivals."

"This craft of making bobo is handed down from generation to generation. People now use it for birthday and wedding. It is very happy!" the 68-year-old Liu Fanrong said.

Liu used scissors to cut dough into a little hedgehog. In 10 minutes a bobo in the shape of a lifelike hedgehog was ready. Two small black beans became it eyes. Then Liu made dough into shapes of other animals such as rabbits and birds.

It is hard to know when Jiaodong bobo first appeared. In ancient times it was used for worship. It is still very popular in the rural areas of Weihai, Yantai and Qingdao. It is full of distinctive local characteristics and signifies best wishes for life. In 2009, flower bobo folk in Wendeng were included in the Shandong provincial intangible cultural heritage list.

Now "Wendeng flower bobo" has become a 'calling card' for Wendeng, and has been named a provincial excellent tourist commodity. Every year Wendeng holds a tourism commodity contest which provides a chance for bobo makers to display their unique skills.

Liu said: "Every household here will steam bobo during the Spring Festival indicating good luck for the next year."

"In the early years, mothers would steam bobo in the shape of a child's zodiac to celebrate children's birthdays. In this way, she hopes the children are healthy, strong, and clever." Liu said.

Lin Rongtao, 46, following his mother to make bobo when he was 10 years old, learned a good skill. In 2010 he was awarded "inheritor of Jiaodong flower dough modeling craft" by Shandong Provincial Department of Culture for his superb dough making skill.

Over thousands of years Wendeng bobo has changed into dough figurines, with different shapes of dragon, tiger, flowers, birds, insects and fish, which are both edible and ornamental.

"The bobo with shape of goldfish and the worm means 'May there be surpluses every year', tiger head means "tiger angry", the little hedgehog, the little mouse, little peach-shaped bobo, small gourd, dragons and other novel and unique style, are the children's favorites. And bobo with shapes of "phoenix", "three rams bringing bliss", "fortune" are loved by consumers.

The 40-year-old Sun Yishu opened a flower bobo shop in the downtown in 2000. The shop is not very big, but it has a great reputation. Now, she has two such shops and sold more than 1,000 boxes of bobo during Spring Festival.