A staff member makes a lotus-shaped Tangguozi dessert in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)
XI’AN, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) — Tangguozi, a sort of desserts inspired by the culture from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), features exquisite designs and vibrant colors, often served with tea. They are now going through a modern revival in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.
This photo shows Tangguozi desserts made by Li Huan’s team in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)
Bearing years of experience in baking, Li Huan accidentally learned about Tangguozi and co-founded a company specialized in this business in 2020. Li believes that traditional culture is an inexhaustible source of creativity. She and her team often visit museums, drawing inspiration from the patterns and designs of artifacts from the Tang Dynasty. They carefully adjust the recipes by combining healthy diets with modern taste, which made their Tangguozi products increasingly popular.
Li and her team have expanded their business approach by introducing Tangguozi and tea culture of the Tang Dynasty to domestic and international cultural exchange events, and hosting hands-on workshops for tourists and study groups. They also offer comprehensive services such as event planning and crafts training to make Tangguozi and the Tang culture more tangible and accessible to ordinary people.
Li Huan makes a Tangguozi dessert in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)Li Huan (R) communicates with a tourist on tea culture from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) during a hands-on Tangguozi workshop in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)Li Huan (L), a staff member (C) and a tourist communicate during a hands-on Tangguozi workshop in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)A tourist (R) learns to make a Tangguozi dessert from a staff member during a hands-on Tangguozi workshop in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)A tourist (L) learns to make a Tangguozi dessert from a staff member during a hands-on Tangguozi workshop in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)Li Huan (2nd L) and tea culture expert Wang Miao (2nd R) tell stories about tea sets in Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) to tourists at a museum in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)Li Huan (2nd R) and members of her team hold a spring-themed tea tasting event at a hotel in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, March 24, 2023. (Xinhua)Li Huan presents a cultural and creative product made by her team in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, Jan. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)■
