In Urumqi, a meal featuring "cultural relic elements" delights diners with emotional value

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Yin Lu) news: "Table 5 wants a 'we're besties holding hands together' and an 'a human-faced clay pot'." "Table 3 wants two 'we're besties holding hands together'." "Table 10 says to serve the 'a human-faced clay pot' after the main course." When these requests are heard in a restaurant, listeners might well wonder, are these the names of some new dishes? Indeed, they are.

On the evening of March 13, 2026, the reporter visited Huqiajingde Jiangxi Cuisine, located on the 5th floor of CCMALL Times Square in Urumqi City of northwest China's Xinjiang, with the aim of trying out two "stunning dishes" inspired by unearthed cultural relics — the "we're besties holding hands together" mousse cake and the "a human-faced clay pot" mousse cake. Although the reporter had previously sampled numerous ice creams shaped like precious cultural artifacts at museums across the country, it was the first time witnessing such cultural relics making "their way" onto the dining table.

Photo shows the "we're besties holding hands together" mousse cake. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily Reporter Yin Lu)

First to arrive was the "we're besties holding hands together." Despite having seen the pictures in advance, the reporter was still charmed by the smiling faces of the "besties" and the rosy blush painted on their cheeks with fruit jam, while the delicate cocoa powder gave them a pottery-like texture.

The design of the "we're besties holding hands together" mousse cake was inspired by a painted pottery figurine of two women holding hands, housed in the Luoyang Museum. This artifact, dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty, was unearthed from the Yang Ji Tomb in Mayao Village, Jinping Town, Yiyang County, Luoyang City, Henan Province.

This approximately 17-centimeter-tall figurine depicts two sisters standing side by side, holding hands, with beautiful faces and joyful expressions. They sport identical double-flower-shaped hair buns, rouged cheeks, and red lipstick, dressed in wide-sleeved, left-lapped red short robes with belts and long trousers, exuding a charming and capable demeanor. The attire of these sisters combines many characteristics of both Central Plains clothing and northern minority clothing from the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, serving as evidence of the deepening ethnic integration across the Chinese land during that era.

File photo shows the painted pottery figurine of a pair of women standing hand-in-hand.

Compared with other pottery figurines from the same period, the most outstanding feature of this set of figurine is that it was made in one piece, whereas other figurines were assembled from separately crafted body parts.

When the adorably quirky human-faced clay pot cake appeared, it amused many customers. They held small spoons, discussing for a long time about where to make the first cut, while some compared the cake with pictures of the cultural relic on their phones, exclaiming in wonder, "They're exactly the same!"

Photo shows the human-faced clay pot mousse cake. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Yin Lu)

The human-faced clay pot mousse cake is designed based on a representative pottery piece from the Indus Valley Civilization — the human-faced pottery urn. Unearthed in Pakistan, this human-faced pottery urn dates back approximately 4,000 years and has garnered attention at cultural relic exhibitions worldwide for its vivid facial expressions.

Currently, these two mousse cakes have become must-order delicacies for customers visiting the restaurant. "During the dinner rush today, seven out of ten customers ordered these two mousse cakes. The creative idea of "making" cultural relics into food is very appealing to young people," said Wu Jingang, the manager of the restaurant. He added that these cakes are currently the hottest topic on social media regarding Huqia restaurants across the country, reflecting a new trend in the catering industry — "beauty is value" — and offering a creative way to bring cultural relics to life.

File photo shows the human-faced clay pot.

"The mousse cake tastes really good and is especially perfect for enjoying with my besties, carrying a special significance and providing emotional value. Before coming, I even specifically looked up the stories behind the cultural relics," said Gu Shanshan, a bank employee, pointing at the cake in front of her. She discovered this restaurant online. "This creative concept establishes a warm emotional connection between history and our current lives."

"The appearance is incredibly lifelike, and the 'core' is equally impressive—the mousse cake has a filling inside. The 'human-faced clay pot' cake has refreshing fruit jam, while the 'we're besties holding hands together' cake features silky chocolate. The design is truly creative. Bringing cultural relics to the dining table is an updated idea after the 'cultural relic ice creams' seen in museums," said Li Jiaxi, a planner at a cultural and creative company. He believes this is an innovative way to bring cultural heritage closer to real life and is worth trying by food designers in the industry. "Xinjiang is rich in cultural relics, and I hope our cultural relics can be seen out of museums in more trendy ways."

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