Steamed buns in various shapes and colors are on display at the steamed bun culture festival held in Wanggezhuang, Laoshan District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, October 24, 2021. Qu Bo/CGTN

A mantou (steamed bun) culture festival was held on Sunday in Wanggezhuang, a subdistrict in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province that is famous for the Chinese steamed buns. One of the highlights was a collection of colorful steamed buns handmade by the locals.

Steamed buns, typically white in color, are a common staple food in northern China. But in Wanggezhuang, they are more than that. The local dough modeling techniques turn the classic fist-sized steamed buns into artworks that feature a variety of shapes, patterns and colors. They also come with auspicious meanings of "Fu Lu Shou Xi" that refer to fortune, prosperity, longevity and happiness.