Zou Minglei, a skilled pastry chef, has found a unique way to bring history from museum halls to dining tables using intricately crafted desserts to tell the stories behind some of China’s most renowned cultural relics.
After graduating from Hubei University of Technology with a degree in animation in 2012, Zou spent two years systematically learning pastry-making techniques before opening her first dessert shop in Wuhan, the provincial capital of Hubei.
Photo shows Zou Minglei and her artifact-inspired dessert. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
Zou’s passion for creating artifact-inspired desserts began in 2018 when she participated in the Cake International competition in the UK.
When selecting her theme, Zou, a native of Hubei, wanted her creation to represent her home province, so she drew inspiration from Chu culture.
When she visited the Hubei Provincial Museum, she was immediately captivated by its main attraction: the Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng, which dates back to the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
After meticulous research and experimentation, Zou successfully created a dessert replica of the chime bells, scaled down more than 100 times. The work earned her a silver award at the Cake International competition.
By the end of 2024, Zou set herself a personal challenge to recreate 100 cultural relics in dessert form on a Chinese short-video sharing platform. For her, desserts are a medium that bridges the gap between artifacts and the public, making cultural relics tangible and accessible.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. To highlight China’s defense achievements, Zou expanded her repertoire to include edible replicas of strategically significant weapons, including the atomic bomb, the DongFeng-31 missile, and China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian.
Photo shows a dessert replica of a bronze owl-shaped zun wine vessel unearthed from the tomb of Fu Hao, China’s first documented female general and royal consort. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
The Fujian aircraft carrier is Zou’s largest three-dimensional cake to date, measuring more than 1.2 meters long. Unlike cultural relics, military equipment presented new challenges that required her to develop fresh techniques. She began by hand-drawing detailed diagrams, breaking down each weapon into components, and then crafting fondant pieces based on her blueprints before putting them together.
"When the finished product is larger, I need extremely precise measurements," she explained. "Any miscalculation or lack of accuracy during the process will make it impossible to assemble properly."
In her short videos, Zou combines dessert-making with storytelling. Alongside footage of her crafting process, she incorporates historical materials and museum exhibition clips to provide context, while also sharing little-known facts that add both educational depth and entertainment value.
"As a cultural communicator, my information sources must be accurate; I cannot afford to spread misinformation," Zou emphasized, adding that since both artifacts and weapons carry historical culture, the professionalism and rigor of the video content must meet high standards.
Photo shows a dessert replica of China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
Beyond consulting books and research papers, Zou often visits museums to observe relics directly, study pattern deconstruction sketches, or request three-dimensional restoration diagrams for reference.
"I hope that when viewers watch me recreate artifacts in dessert form, they also gain a deeper understanding of Chinese civilization and feel a stronger sense of responsibility for preserving our cultural roots," she said.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0925/c90000-20370844.html