(Photo/Chinanews.com)

A 49-year-old woman from Changji, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has been putting her heart and soul into making artistic steamed buns over the past few years.

Gan Huiqiong learned how to create unique steamed buns in different shapes and colors, even though she had no previous experience in painting or design.

It takes Gan over six hours to complete one delicate bun, so she usually chooses to work at night to avoid disturbance.

According to Gan, she must concentrate on each step including preparing her materials, kneading dough, coloring, and steaming. If one single step goes wrong, the bun will be ruined, she said.

As dough rises after fermentation, timing is crucial for Gan. She has come up with various ways to help the buns stay in shape.

Though all the ingredients Gan uses for her steamed buns are edible, she never eats them. Aside from giving some to friends, she keeps the rest as an art collection.

Gan posts photos of her steamed buns on social media every day. One of Gan’s friends said the pictures brought positive energy to her father who had cancer.

“One of the reasons that I keep making steamed buns is that they bring happiness to my friends,” Gan said.

When asked on her plans for the future, Gan said she intends to create more steamed buns with traditional Chinese cultural characteristics and open a themed homestay.