Paper cutting

Paper

cutting

is

a

folk

culture

with

so

long

a

history.

When

Chinese

lunar

New

Year

is

coming, it is a custom for northern people to paste the paper cutting on window. Gradually,

it develops into an art form.

The

oldest

surviving

paper

cut

out

is

a

symmetrical

circle

from

the

6th

century

found

in

Xinjiang.

Paper-cutting

originated

during

the

Northern

and

Southern

Dynasties

period.

From

the

7th

to

13th

century,

paper

cutting

became

popular

especially

during

Chinese

holiday festival.

As the name indicates, scissor cutting are fashioned with scissors. Several pieces of paper-up

to eight pieces-are fastened together. The motif is then cut with sharp, pointed scissors.

The patterns were abundant and colorful: phoenix, characters with the meaning of luck and

happiness.

Red

is

the

most

commonly

used

color.

Some

were

made

for

presents'

decorations and Chinese wedding decorations.

Pattern:

birds and beasts, utensils, fish, flowers and plants, fruits and veggies, insects, sceneries,

world treasures, modern objects.

Meaning:

bring

good

luck,

blessing,

rid

of

evil,

eliminate

wickedness,

encourage,

security,

delight.

Purpose:

①

decoration:

paste

onto

objects

to

increase

beauty,

like

paper

cutting

for

window

decoration.

②

folklore:

sacrificial

offering,

praying,

dispelling

disaster,

prevent

evil

influences, rid of poisonous, like gate gods.

③

Manuscript

mold:

version

mold,

printing

mold,

like

embroider

manuscript

mold.

④

design: it can increase beauty, publicize, like movie and television show

’

s

title.

纹样：

鸟兽、器具、鱼类、花木、果菜、昆虫、山水、世界珍奇、现代 器物。

寓意：

纳吉、祝福、驱邪、除恶、劝勉、警戒、趣味。

用途：

①装饰类：贴于它物之上以供欣赏或增加它物之美的剪纸，如窗 花。

②俗信 类：用于祭祀、祈福、祛灾、避邪、驱毒的剪纸，如门神。

③稿模类：用于版模、印染的剪纸，如绣稿。

④设计类；能增加它物之美，或能 宣扬它物的剪纸，如电影或电视的开头。

The Chinese paper cutting was recognized and listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural

Heritage Lists, in 2009.

Because it has a history of more than 1500 years and it represents

cultural values of the people.

It's difficult to tell when it originated. One saying is that it originated from the religious ceremony

or

offering

sacrifices.

The

ancient

people

cut

papers

into

animals

or

people.

They

either

buried

them with the dead or burned them on the funerals, wishing that things that paper stand for could