A local villager displays a dough sculpture during a rural event in Laoshan district of Qingdao, Shandong province on Nov 16. [Photo by Wang Haibin/for chinadaily.com.cn]

A lively competition took place at a farm located on Wanggezhuang street of Laoshan district in Qingdao, Shandong province on Nov 16.

Local villagers gathered to participate in an event centered around the art of crafting mantou, the beloved steamed buns that have been a culinary staple in northern China.

The competition featured villagers displaying their craftsmanship skills, producing an impressive array of approximately 50 different kinds of mantou. What set this event apart were the vibrant dough sculptures, each a testament to the creativity and dedication of the local community.

Su Wenpeng, vice director of Laoshan district, said with a history of more than 500 years, Wanggezhuang mantou has become a well-known specialty in the city and is on the list of city-level intangible cultural heritage items.

From January to October, Wanggezhuang street produced 12,000 metric tons of mantou, creating a revenue of 108 million yuan ($14.86 million), local official data showed.