Folk Paper-CuttingIt is a form of folk art. It takes paper as the material and scissor or engraving knife as the tool. It was widely spread and of a long history. In Xinjiang, paper-cutting works were excavated, which can be traced back to more than 1,000 years. The paper-cutting art has exerted an influence on decorative patterns,leather silhouette, printed cloth, embroidery and paintings. As a form of folk art,it occupies a significant position in the folk activities.In the Southern Song Dynasty, professional paper-cutting craftsmen emerged.Folk paper-cutting sorts out and outlines the natural forms by way of employing characters, symbol and implication to constitute beautiful patterns. According to usage, paper-cutting works can be categorized into four types: 1,paper-cutting works on gate, window, wall, etc 2, those for ornamenting gift, dowry, sacrifice,etc. 3, those as embroidery base pattern used in decorating clothes. 4, those for printing and dyeing.
Window Paper-CuttingIt is a type of paper-cutting work pasted on windows as an ornament. It is widely spread in the north of China, where the farmers' houses are mostly windowed with wooden squares. There are vertical squares, rectangular squares and geometrically patterned squares on which a layer of white leather paper is pasted.On the occasions of Spring Festival and the other holidays the leather paper is replaced and new paper-cutting work is pasted instead as a symbol of bidding farewell to the old year and embracing the new. The themes of the window paper-cutting include the fauna and flora, figurines as well as a series of theatrical tales.
Gate Label It is also called "hanging label", "hanging money", etc. It hangs on the gatesills. It takes the form of flag with big head, twined size and lower part as tassel. It is engraved on red paper as well as multicoloured paper. Its patterns are geometrical or embedded with figures ,flowers,phoenix,dragons and the other propitious characters.when hung up, the gate label must be hung in series.
Festive Paper-CuttingIt is a kind of paper-cutting artifact which is used to decorate the household applicances and indoor furniture. It is layed out on the teapot, soap box, basin, and dressing mirror. The themes of happy paper -cutting imply auspiciousness and happiness. It is coloured in scarlet red. It takes the form of circle , rectangle, peach, pomegranate together with propitious patterns.
Gift Paper-CuttingIt is a type of paper cutting artifact which is attached to cake, birthday noodle and egg. Gift paper cutting assumes patterns implying propitiousness and happiness. In Shandong Province, people attach it onto the "happy egg" on the occasion of celebrating a birth of a child baby. In the countryside of Fujian Province,they exchange birthday gifts on which there are tortoise patterns symbolic of longevity. There are tortoise-shaped cake and tortoise-patterned paper cutting works.
Shoe Paper-Cutting It is a kind of paper cutting artifact which serves as the base pattern for shoe embroidery. It is categorized into three forms. The first type is cut into a bundle of flowers which are embroidered on the head of shoe. The second type is cut into a shape of crescent moon, which is matched to the size of the shoe vamp. The third type is the part which extends along the two ends. Its layout is sparse,with themes of flora and fauna, birds, etc. Some shoe paper cutting works are cut in part instead of being engraved. This technique is called "lurking cut" which predicts the embroidery techniques:doubled needling and colour changing.
Douxiang Paper-Cutting It is a type of colour doubling paper cutting artifact which is mainly used as decoration on the occasion of sacrificing rituals. The incense burned for sacrificing is made into thin bars or thick bars and entangled into various shapes The incense needs a concave base and bamboo piece to be upheld. Its themes vary from legendary characters to spirits. It is engraved on the wax polished paper.
Paper-Cutting Flower Bundle It is a type of layout pattern for paper cutting. It takes a form of a circle-shaped flower with four even sizes. This decorating pattern has its merit. The paper can be folded up and cut into a flower bundle in four even sides.
Paper-Cutting Flag It is a type of paper cutting artifact which is used in rituals. As the ancient customs traced back to the Song Dynasty show, the witch brandishes the paper cutting flag to exorcise ghosts and exterminate disaster. This flag is also used in funerals. On the first anniversary of one"s death, the flag is used to recover his soul.
Ansai Paper-Cutting It is popular in Ansai, Shaanxi Province. One type is used to decorate the indoor on the occasion of the Spring Festival with its main theme of propitiousness by assuming the shapes of flying bird, fauna and flora, domesticated animals, lion,tiger, etc. The second type is used to decorate the nuptial bedroom with the patterns of pomegranate and peony. The third type is used as the base pattern for embroidery and cloth. The fourth type is used in the superstitious rituals, which assumes the forms of wealth spirit,furnace spirit, spirit in charge of cuisine, etc.
East Sha'anxi Paper-Cutting It is popular in the areas of Qingyang and Pingliang, Gansu Province. It enjoys a long history and assumes a style of coarseness and exaggeration. In the eastern part, the paper cutting is characterized by primitiveness and rusticit. In the middle, it is characterized by the orderliness and elegance. In the part on the banks of the upper Jing River, its style is simplicity and brightness. Its themes run the gamut of flying birds and walking animals,folklores,dramatic characters and flowers of four seasons.
Fushan Paper-Cutting Fushan, Shanxi Province, enjoys the fame of "homeland of paper -cutting." It is wide spread in the county and popular in the south of Shanxi. It takes the form of window paper-cutting, gift paper-cutting , etc., among which the most interesting is the form called "bridge paper-cutting", a series of chained paper-cuttings.Fushan paper-cutting is widely used in the making of clothing,pillows, belly-covers, hat and shoes, and embroidery base pattern for handkerchief,figurines on the occasion of a funeral.