Craftworks of China - Paper-cut

Tan Song (2007).Paper-cut, a Colorful Folk Art. In Zhao Qinghua (Eds.),Craftworks of China (pp. 17-25). Beijing: China Intercontinental Press. Of the numerous folk arts in China the paper-cut is perhaps the most popular and widespread form of art. Everywhere-whether in the loess plateau or the land of rivers and lakes in east China, in the remote places or prosperous cities-you can see fine and beautiful paper-cuts that display the everlasting national customs and traditional charms of the Chinese nation. In the face of such an ancient and ubiquitous folk art that emerged almost at the same time as paper itself, where should the introduction begin? Perhaps it is correct to start with Weixian County, a well-known cultural city on the Central Plains known as "the home of Chinese paper-cut"; or to start with Foshan, a famous industrial town in south China, which is the birthplace of the culture; even still, perhaps it is appropriate to begin with the loess plateau in northern Shaanxi, where there are rich grounds of historical culture. The Color Paper-cut of Weixian, Hebei Located at the juncture of Hebei and Shanxi Provinces, Weixian is "home of the paper-cut of China," so named by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the China Association of Folk Artists. The type of a facial makeup in a local opera, a paper-cut of Weixian County, Hebei Province It is impossible to find the exact date of origin of the paper-cut of Weixian. It is generally believed that it has a history of more than 150 years, beginning with the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty (1821-1850). Many legends exist with regard to its origin. It is said that long, long ago in Weixian County, a Mr. Wang and a Taoist named Zhang often used scissors and knives to cut colored paper and later the two ran a workshop to produce paper-cuts-one cutting, the other dyeing. In close cooperation the men gradually created the colorful paper-cuts of Weixian county with dexterous workmanship and a riot of colors and many displays. Of the numerous schools of paper-cuts in China, the workmanship of the paper-cut of Weixian County is unique. One of its special artistic features is point dyeing of the paper. Most of china's paper-cuts are made of red paper or paper of other single colors and only those of Weixian County are made with paper in different colors. This paper-cut is not crafted with scissors but with knives. The thin rice paper of Xuancheng, Anhui Province, is cut with a small, sharp knife and colored with a Chinese writing brush. The colors of the paper-cut of Weixian County are striking but sprightly and harmonious with a strong local flavor. Because the paper-cut of Weixian not only requires a meticulous cutting skill but also a superb spot-dyeing skill, there is an axiom that the paper-cut of Weixian depends 30 percent on the cutting skill and 70 percent on dyeing. The subjects of the paper-cut are extremely rich and varied: figures of plays and dramas, folklores, fairy tales, as well as birds and animals, flowers and plants, insects and fishes, landscapes, etc. The people of Weixian refer to paper-cus as "window designs," because most are pasted on windows, which are usually made of paper. Under the bright sunshine the "window designs" become dainty, exquisite, and lively in a variety of colors. Most of the "authors" of these paper-cuts are peasants who do all of the painting, cutting, and dyeing. Through many years of development many outstanding paper-cut artists have emerged. Of these, the most famous is Wang Laoshang (1890-1951), who perfected the traditional skills of paper-cutting and dyeing. All the dramatic figures he cut were lively, vivid, and fondly loved by the people. He was posthumously given the title "a Chinese folk artist of the 20th century" because of his great contributions to Weixian paper-cuts and the art of the paper-cut of China. Peacocks and Flowers, a paper-cut of Weixian Cunty, Hebei Province The Southern Zhangzhuang Village of Weixian county, hometown of Wang Laoshang, is one of the most important birthplaces of Weixian paper-cut. At present, tourists may appreciate the entire process of paper-cutting at the "Paper-cut Street" of the village. In the slow season of winter, people may see wooden frames carried on the bicycles at local fairs, on which gorgeous "window patterns" are pasted, a sight unique in the county. The Bronze Foil Paper-cut of Foshan, Guangdong In south-central Guangdong Province in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta, Foshan has been a confluence of merchants and commodities since ancient times. It has fostered a developed handicraft industry and is now one of the four most famous handicraft towns of china. The woodblock New Year paintings and paper-cuts have unique features. They are among the first group of folk arts that have entered the catealog of intangible cultural heritages of China. With its origin in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the paper-cut of Foshan flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties and is now one of China's fine traditional; handicraft arts. As far back as the Ming Dynasty there was industrial production of the paper-cut. Large amounts of paper-cuts were sold to other parts of Guangdong Province and provinces of south-central and southwest China and exported to countries of Southeast Asia. The paper-cut employs two methods of cutting with scissors and cutting with knives. There are many categories of the art and the most representative of these are those done with bronze foil. Man, Fortune, and High Social Status, a bronze foil cutting of Foshan made in the Qing Dynasty A Butterfly with Flowers, a bronze foli cutting of Foshan Bronze-foil cutting is a unique art of Foshan. The material used in making this kind of "paper-cut" is not paper but bronze foil, a local specialty. Bronze foil is forged bronze, which is thinner than paper. This kind of handicraft is one of the most famous age-old handicrafts of Foshan. To make such a "paper-cut,"first, the artist cuts out a small part of the outer details of the design on the bronze foil and then uses a specially made small ballpoint chisel to cut out the round points and lines on the foil, according to the design, to form various patterns or human figures and then pastes paper of different colors to set them off. This kind of paper-cut has contrasting colors, a shiny pearl luster and glittering gold. Southerners are fond of using this paper-cut to decorate their rooms and utensils. Large amounts of bronze foil cuttings are used to decorate the front of firecrackers and fireworks. The ballpoint chisel used to make the bronze foil cuttings is special. A thin chisel has one ball and a thick one may have 12 to 15; some are formed in a straight line, some in a curved line and others in a round circle. In execution, the bronze foil is placed on a block of hardwood and lightly tapped to form all kinds of patterns. Foshan has a temperate and moist climate and it is not suitable for pasting paper-cuts on windowpanes, so the paper-cuts of Foshan have different uses from those of north China. They mostly appear on folk customs of weddings and funerals, birthdays and ceremonial events. People may also paste paper-cuts on everyday articles and toys as decorations and women may use paper-cuts to decorate fruit trays, candlesticks, and rice vats. Paper-cuts of Northern Shaanxi Plateau On the loess plateau, northern Shaanxi is one of the most important birthplaces of Chinese civilization, where many ancient fairy tales and legendary figures have emerged. It is a remote area that was hard to reach a long time ago and therefore difficult for foreign culture to spread in the region, so its ancient culture and arts have been preserved relatively intact. Paper-cuts of northern Shaanxi are called "living fossils" by experts, because they have inherited the ancient shapes and patterns, the philosophy of the yin and yang and the idea of worshipping human reproduction. The representative works include Child with Two Twisted Knots of Hair, Fish with a Human Face, Eagle Stamping on Rabbit, Snake Coiling on a Rabbit, Egret Carrying a Fish, and Fish Playing with Lotus. The connotations and functions of the paper-cuts of northern Shaanxi mainly consist of three categories: worship of ancestors, human reproduction, and praying for happiness and safety. Paper-cuts often feature images of frogs, snakes, fishes and legendary figures such as Fuxi, Nüwa with their human heads and snake bodies appear frequently. In the vast rural areas of northern Shaanxi, the bridal chambers of the newly married are found pasted with all kinds of paper-cuts, which have multiple formations but consistently adhere to the theme of worship of reproduction. For instance, the paper-cut of Fish Playing with Lotus represents love and reproduction, in which the fish represents males and the lotus represents females. The fish and lotus are inseparable and the fish biting lotus-pods results in lotus seeds, namely, children. The theme of praying for safety appears even more frequently in paper-cuts of northern Shaanxi, such as the patterns of bats, birds and flowers, treasure chests, evil-warding tigers, and sweeper children, who drive away ghosts, and the Chinese characters that mean "inviting riches and treasures," and "wealth, rank and surplus." Most paper-cuts come from rural women and mainly consist of single colors. They are of simple and plain shapes with a strong, unpretentious local flavor, and reflect their customs. In searching for their son's prospective wife the parents first ask whether the potential daughter-in-law is dexterous. Being "dexterous" means being able to do paper-cuts and embroidery. The local people believe that a girl who can do paper-cuts well must be clever and the children she bears will be clever, also. The folk paper-cut of northern Shaanxi is a popular handicraft. They are not only decorations in daily life but, more important, products of Chinese culture handed down from thousands of years ago that record the culture from past to present, with a vivid language and a lively history.