In a side room of a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)-styled courtyard adorned with red corridors, green wooden pillars and a gray-tiled roof, Lang Jiaziyu elicited gasps of amazement from the audience with his lifelike dough models.

Inspired by the recent box-office hit Ne Zha 2, the man, 30, created dough figurines of several of the animation's protagonists with a timer marking its box-office milestones.

"It was an improvised solution to highlight the constantly changing records," says Lang, who has practiced dough figurine for almost two decades, an art form listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

A native of Beijing, Lang infuses his artistic vision into his work by incorporating characters from the popular game Black Myth: Wukong and historical figures like Xiang Yu, a warlord from the late Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

The audience, curious about the materials and techniques used in making dough figurines, listened intently as Lang revealed the tricks, which involve ordinary ingredients — wheat flour, glutinous rice flour, honey, salt, and water-soluble pigments — readily available items at local supermarkets.

However, the process is anything but simple.

The flour must be sifted to remove coarse particles, leaving only the finest. This refined mixture is then kneaded into colorful dough, which is meticulously shaped into intricate figures.