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Chinese paper cutting
Chinese
paper cutting, or Jianzhi, is a kind of folk art
which uses scissors or knives to
cut
papers for decoration or other folk activities.
Having a wide mass base in China, paper
cutting has been involved in the social
life for different peoples and has presented
multiple
social values in cognition,
amusement and communication etc.
In
2006,
Jianzhi
was
enlisted
into
the
first
group
of
National
Intangible
Cultural
Heritage by the State Council, and it
was listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural
Heritage
Lists in 2009.
Origin
：
The art of paper-cutting in China may
date back to the second century C.E., since
paper was invented by Cai in the
Eastern Han Dynasty in China. As paper became more
affordable, paper-cutting became one of
the most important types of Chinese folk art.
Later,
this art form spread to other
parts of the world, with different regions
adopting their own
cultural styles.
Because the cut-outs are often used to decorate
doors and windows, they
are sometimes
referred to as paper-cut for window, window
flowers or window paper-cuts.
People
glued the papercuts to the exterior of windows, so
the light from the inside would
shine
through the negative space of the cutout. Usually,
the artworks are made of red paper,
as
red is associated with festivities and happiness
in Chinese culture, but others colored
were also used. Normally paper-cutting
artwork is used on festivals like Spring Festival,
weddings and childbirth. Papercuts
always symbolize luck and happiness.
Chinese paper-cutting originated from
ancient activities of worshipping ancestors and
gods, and is a traditional part of
Chinese culture. According to archaeological
records, it
originates from the 6th
century, although some believe that its history
could be traced as
far back as the
Warring States period (around 3 BC), long before
the paper was invented.
At that time,
people used other thin materials, like leaves,
silver foil, silk and even leather,
to
carve
hollowed
patterns.
Later,
when
paper
was
invented,
people
realized
that
this
material was easy to
cut, store and discard, and paper became the major
material for this
type of artwork.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1912),
this artistry witnessed
its most
prosperous period. For over a thousand years,
people (mainly women) have been
making
paper-cuts as part a leisure activity. They
created different type of paper-cutting
and
shared
and
passed
this
traditional
craftsmanship
to
their
children,
so
that
this
traditional art style
became more and more popular and is still
practiced to this day.
In
ancient
times,
human
beings
have
discovered
and
used
images
as
an
artistic
method of image representation, and
then created the artistic language of engraving
and
air
through
various
materials.
This
is
in
many
primitive
society
color
pottery
and
rock
painting, Shang Zhou bronzes, Han
dynasty picture stone art, reflected ancient
artificer to
use this artistic
technique consummation. Today's folk paper-cuts
are strikingly consistent
with the
style and exterior features of the paper, which
fully explain the inheritance and
continuity of their
relationship.
The
Chinese
imperial
concubine
holding
the
baby,
playing
with
the
window,
skillfully
cutting
the
Paulownia
Leaves
according
to
the
window
screen.
Use
thin
slice
material to cut carve
flower, before have paper already be like Han
dynasty gold and silver
foil engraved
flower. But the exact cut, of course, is after
paper. Our country is the country
that
invented paper, already began to make paper in the
western Han dynasty. At this point,
the
use of paper for cutting out the hollow out
performance in accordance with the
paper-
cut art required by the folk
custom has been generated among the people.
However, the
earliest
papercut
was
found
in
the
north
Korean
period
(386
A.D.
581),
which
was
unearthed near the flaming mountain of
Turpan in Xinjiang. These papercuts, the way of
repeated folding and the non-occlusion
of the image, are very similar to today's folk
paper
cutting paper.
When paper-cutting passed down to the
Tang dynasty, the skills of handcraft became
mature. Paper-cutting was not only a
kind of handcraft, but also a piece of artwork, as
it
could
express
the
idea
through
the
pattern.
In
Ming
and
Qing
dynasty,
paper-cutting
experienced its peak development. Folk
paper-cutting spread to a wider range and had
abundant means of artistic expression.
Paper-cutting was used to decorate doors, windows
and walls to show happiness and
festival.
Classification
：
Paper-cutting is one of the oldest and
the most popular folk arts in China. It can be
geographically
divided
into
a
southern
and
a
northern
style.
The
southern
style,
represented
by
works
from
Yangzhou
in
Jiangsu
Province
and
Le
Qing
in
Zhejiang
Province,
features
ingenious
and
beautiful
designs,
exquisite
carving
and
interesting
shapes. The northern style, mainly from
Yu Xian and Feng Ning in Hebei Province and
best
represented
by
works
from
northern
Shaanxi,
features
exaggerated
shapes,
vigorousness, vivid
depictions and diverse patterns.
The style of window paper-cuts is
usually free, except the flower pattern on the
corner.
The theme of window paper-cuts
has a wide range, the most popular of which is
based on
the stories of traditional
Chinese opera. As most buyers are farmers, the
content of window
paper-cut usually
describe farming, spinning, fishing and poultry
farming.
1. To pattern
classification: paper cutting patterns for people,
animals, characters, with
62,
flowers,
fruits
and
vegetables,
insects,
landscapes
and
so
on,
and
proposed
the
addition of the world's rare, modern
class two, a total of 11 categories.
2. Category: China paper-cut meaning
characteristics, the performance of the theme
implies, so the basis of meaning, which
can be divided into: blessing, cowardly evil,
evil,
exhortation, warning, interest
and other seven categories.
3.
To
use
classification:
some
people
think
that
the
classification
of
paper
cutting
should be based on the use, which can
be divided into:
(1)
decorative
affixed
to
its
substrate
for appreciation
or increase
its
beauty
of
the
paper-cut, such as
window;
(2) custom
categories: for worship, prayer, a disaster,
cowardly evil, poison paper-cut,
such
as door;
(3)
draft
type:
used
for
stencil
printing,
printing
and
dyeing
paper
cutting,
such
as
embroidery manuscript;
(4) design class: can increase the
beauty of things, or can promote its paper-cut,
such
as film or television
titles
4.
Other
classification
methods:
others
think
that
should
be
divided
into
three
categories:
(1)
all
paper
scissors
to
do
with
the
color
window
color
draft
(like
flowers),
known as paper
cutting.
(2) any work that
is cut and pasted with color paper should be
called
(3) those who cut
and then fill the works of art should be called
shear.
5. To paper and
production classification: there are paper and
production classification,
more for
teaching purposes. It will be divided into two
types of paper cutting, eight kinds:
First class: monochrome paper-cut. Is
to use a colored paper to cut and subdivided
into do:
(1)
jackknife, soon after the paper folded cut, after
the opening of a pattern or fonts
available.
(2)
Diego scissors, the number of overlapping sheets
of paper together to nail down
and then
cut the script, number of his prints.
Second categories: complex color paper-
cut, also known as colored paper-cut. color
paper is based on the number of sub cut
after cut collage mapping; or with white paper cut
into a script, and then dyed fill a
variety of colors; or the first cut on the main
board, lined
with white and then dyed
to fill a variety of colors can be
subdivided:
(1) lining color
class, first made of monochrome paper-cut method
of cutting diagram,
and then to color
paper as a lining.
(2)
color, monochrome paper-cut way to cut the main
version and the second version
of the
image, and then another cut paper tape mounted in
the main version of the site
needs; or
colors required to color the drawings of colored
paper, overlap with the nail, and
then
along the way the draft line cut, and chose to
take a main version. Paste mounted on
the substrate, and then the rest of the
Tim posted on the main board.
(3) color, which are colored paper cut
into all parts of the image, and then posted in
accordance with drawings mounted on
backing paper; or see the different colors of
paper
overlapping clinch, and then cut
into a script, kiss the fight on backing
paper.
(4)
dyeing,
that
is,
the
white
paper
or
lighten
colored
paper
which
is
easy
to
be
impregnated
is cut into various images, and then dyed the
required color gradually; or the
paper
is dyed first, and then cut into an
image
(5) coloring
categories, namely black paper or dark paper cut
out the main version,
mounted on a
white paper, then the script a variety of colors;
or cut with the white theme
image,
laminating and then fill in the required color
dyeing; the first fill and then cut to do
so.
(6) magnetic
paper-cut, magnetic paper-cut in the process of
manual production and
machine
production points, manual paper-cut and scissors
and engraved points
As for
the two methods of paper cutting, the main method
should be chosen.
Symmetry
：
There are basic cut-outs, consisting of
a single image, and symmetrical designs, that
are usually created by some folding
over a proportioned crease, and then cutting a
shape,
so that when unfolded, it forms
a symmetrical design. Chinese paper cuttings are
usually
symmetrical. The
paper
cut
outs
are usually
in
an
even
number
series
of
2,
4,
24
etc.
Uses
：
Today,
paper
cuttings
are
chiefly
decorative. They
liven
up
walls,
windows,
doors,
columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns in
homes and are also used on presents or are given
as gifts themselves. Paper cut-outs
pasted on or near entrances are supposed to bring
good
luck.
Paper
cuttings
used
to
be
used
as
patterns,
especially
for
embroidery
and
lacquer work. Papercuts
are used by younger generation as a decoration for
their kits and
books.
Paper-cutting was and is
mostly used as a decoration, or an aesthetic way
to express
people’s hopes, gratitude
and other emotions. With a pair of scissors
cutting through a
piece of red paper,
the paper-cuttings are endowed with a simple but
exaggerated beauty.
The vividly
depicted paper-cuttings have different meanings.
Some express the wish for a
harvest or
a
wealthy life, such
as
paper-cuttings of a
golden
harvest, thriving
domestic
animals, good fortunes, a surplus year
or a carp jumping over a dragon gate (a
traditional
Chinese story, indicating a
leap towards a better life); some depict animals
and plants,
such
as
paper-cuttings of polecats, lions, jade
rabbits (animal from a
Chinese
legend),
pomegranates and peonies; some
illustrate legendary figures or scenes from
traditional
myths or stories, such as
paper-cuttings of the Yellow Emperor, The cowherd
and weaving
girl and 24 stories of
filial piety; and others show people’s gratitude
towards life, such as
paper-cuttings
of
a
doll
with
two
twisted
hair
on
each
side
of
the
head,
fish
swimming
through lotus and
dishes. (a strong passion for life can be easily
seen from the paper-
cuttings of the
women)
The most
famous paper-cutting characters in Chinese are
“
福
” ( f ú , meaning 'lucky')
and “
囍
” ( x ǐ ,
meaning 'double happiness'). Even to this day,
Chinese people love to hang
paper-
cutting of these two characters at their doors.
“
福
” is usually used during
the Chinese
New Year’s Festival,
indicating people’s wishes for a lucky year.
“
囍
” can often be seen at
the windows or door of newly-
weds.
Process
：
There are two methods of manufacture:
one uses scissors, the other uses knives. In
the scissor method, several pieces of
paper — up to eight — are fastened together. The
motif
is
then
cut
with
sharp,
pointed
scissors. The
first
step
is
to
fold.
Fold
a
piece
of
squared paper along the diagonal into a
triangle, and fold into another triangle. Now we