Paper-Cuttings 剪紙

Paper-Cuttings 剪紙

Folk art, Festival, Decoration

Paper-Cuttings are diversified patterns cut into red paper with scissors. Different patterns such as monkey, flowers and figures can be cut vividly and perfectly by some female artisans in rural areas. People paste paper-cuttings onto their windows and other places to express their hopes and wishes.

Han Dynasty (202 BC– 220 AD)

Flat, Red

Craft

There are two methods of making paper cuttings, one is using scissors, and the other is using knives. Scissor cuttings can make several paper cuttings at one time by cutting several papers together, while knife cuttings are made on a swampy mixture of ashes and tallow, which can make only one piece at one time.

Paper

Paper cuttings were mainly used in regional rituals, decorations and styling. In the past, paper was cut into images of people or things such as money and clothes, which were buried with the dead or burned at funerals. This is a superstition that these things burned or buried would accompany the dead in another world. Paper cuttings were also used to decorate sacrifices.

In rural areas, paper cutting is traditionally a handicraft for women. In the past, every girl was supposed to master it and brides were often judged by their skills. Professional paper cutting artists are, on the other hand, usually males who earned guaranteed incomes by working in workshops.