The sugar painting is just paintings made of sugar, which can not only be eaten but also appreciated. It is always called Inverse Sugar Figure, Inverse Sugar Cake or Sugar Light Figure. The history of this handicraft, with the local characters of Sichuan Province, is more than 400 years. It is said that the sugar painting originated from the Sugar Prime Minister of Ming Dynasty, which are actually various figures made of sugar. As the figures looks like the officials at court, they are called Sugar Prime Minister. Later, the folk artists of Sichuan integrated the sculpture technique of paper-cut and shadow play with each other. They paint the shadow play with the sugar solution in the small copper spoon instead of moulds. And the technique gradually develops into the sugar painting art today.
Source:
http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/16Traditions4956.html
