A taste of history

Centuries-old relics find new expression through delicate cakes and chocolates, connecting the past with the present in a unique, delicious form.

In the home of 36-year-old Zou Minglei in Wuhan, Hubei province, you'll find some of China's most cherished museum artifacts — not originals, but remarkably lifelike reproductions made of cake and chocolate.

Zou, a talented dessert artist, gained widespread attention earlier this year on the Chinese short video platform Douyin. Her inventive fusion of culinary art and cultural preservation has captivated young Chinese internet users, earning her more than 242,000 likes.

Zou's interest in artifacts took root during her university years when she studied animation and frequently visited museums for artistic inspiration.