Flour Doll Pedler Mr Ching
Every day from 6pm, Mr. Ching stations himself outside an MTR exit in Causeway Bay and sells his hand-made flour dolls, a traditional toy figurine made with colored flour. His pitch? On top of a garbage can.
HK Magazine: Why do you use a garbage can for your stall?
Mr. Ching: Because it’s convenient. If I put up a proper booth here, I’d be less mobile when the inspectors come around. I just stick all my dolls on this mat and I can just wrap them up and go if anything happens.
HK: Have you ever received complaints about occupying a garbage bin?
C: No, not at all. If people want to put out their cigarette butts, I make way for them so they can use the ashtray. I even carry a spray bottle of water with me so I can make sure all the cigarette butts die out and do not cause a fire.
HK: How long have you been selling flour dolls here? When did you first learn the skill?
C: I’ve been doing this for a few years. In fact, I was taught to do this when I was a teenager in Fujian. But I only turned it into a job a few years ago.
HK: Who are you customers?
C: Mostly tourists. Flour dolls are supposed to be toys, but truthfully, kids nowadays simply have too much entertainment and they’re not really into this kind of traditional thing.
HK: How long does it take to make a flour doll? And how long do they last?
C: It takes about an hour to make one, depending on how complicated the design is. If you keep the doll in a cool and ventilated place, it can last for a year. Sometimes the extremities might fall off with time, but you can simply use white glue to stick them back on.
HK: How do you select what kind of dolls to make?
C: Some characters are from traditional stories, like the Monkey King and Pig from “Journey to the West.” The popularity of certain animals is also a factor, which is why I like to make pandas as well. Another thing is timeliness, so I made a lot of Fuwa during the Beijing Olympics. Ronald McDonald is also among my selection.