What does a paper tie mean?

Paper-binding, which originated from ancient folk religious sacrificial activities, has gradually become a decorative art to celebrate festivals. Paper-binding was originally a paper product used for burning in China folk ceremonies or funerals, and sacrificial figurines were the embryonic form of early paper-binding.

In the slave society, the number of paper sticks was reduced because they were replaced by human sacrifices. Later, sokcho personified and replaced human sacrifice. It was not until Cai Lun improved papermaking and the Silk Road was established in the Western Han Dynasty that paper sticks re-entered people's sight as a sacrifice for weddings and funerals. However, it was not until the Taoism in the Tang Dynasty put forward the "dualism of life" that paper binding really became popular.

Then, under the impetus of Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties, it developed greatly and even became a special funeral industry. People call the shop that makes funeral paper a "paper horse shop", and the person who makes paper is a "painter".

People use bamboo, wood and thread, with bones inside and paper outside, and then paint them with bright colors, so that paper ties are made. Paper binding has many different names among the people, such as binding, paper paste, paper binding, paper binding library, cover binding, color paste and so on.

Later, with the advancement of social and historical process, paper binding gradually changed from mourning to a unique art, and people also divided different paper binding into four categories: first, gods, such as large-scale products burned in front of tombs when buried;

The second is portraits, including boys and girls, opera figures, waiters and so on. Third, buildings, such as spirit rooms, gatehouses, archways, sedan chairs, etc. The fourth is funerary objects, including utensils, offerings and auspicious items, as well as Swiss mammals. All kinds of paper-binding works have been handed down to this day by virtue of their ingenious materials and exquisite craftsmanship.