Yangzhou is the earliest place where paper-cutting is popular. What are the characteristics of paper-cutting in Yangzhou?

Yangzhou paper-cut is an important part of culture and art in Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Yangzhou is one of the earliest areas where paper-cutting is popular in China. There was a custom of paper-cutting in spring in Tang and Song Dynasties. Yangzhou paper-cut lines are beautiful and smooth, the composition is exquisite and elegant, the image is exaggerated and simple, and the techniques are innovative, forming a unique paper-cut consciousness and artistic charm. It is one of the representatives of folk paper-cut art in southern China. Paper-cut works of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-586) were found in the tombs of the Northern Dynasties in Astana, Turpan, Xinjiang, such as the arrival of horses and monkeys. It can be concluded that paper-cutting appeared about 1600 years ago.

In the Tang Dynasty, Yangzhou had the custom of paper-cutting to welcome the Spring. In early spring, folk paper-cutting is flowers, butterflies, money and victory, or hung on the head of beautiful women or decorated under flowers. At that time, paper-cutting was also related to folk customs. Yangzhou folk paper-cut people used paper-cut horses and paper-cut money to commemorate the ceremony. Yangzhou paper-cut has developed from embroidery pattern to artistic paper-cut now. Its expression is similar to China's sketch. Line drawing is a means of expression, which expresses various images according to the changes of lines themselves.

Yangzhou paper-cut works are composed of lines. It can be said that scissors are used to cut smooth lines, not brushes. For example, the "Arhat Book" in the masterpiece "White Horse Map" by Mr. Zhang Yongshou, a master of arts and crafts in China, has smooth lines and free curling.

Each petal is a smooth curved line, and the lines are connected and dense. The curled lines are vigorous and powerful, and the whole flower head is full and complete. If we remove the tools and expressions, we can say that Yangzhou paper-cut is the sketch of China that we cut out.

Yangzhou paper-cut works are plain, fresh and elegant. Abandon the redundant colors, except for the beautiful and smooth lines, they are all realistic shapes. Yangzhou paper-cut has smooth lines, pays attention to detail description, and has strict requirements on modeling. For example, when Zhang Yong wrote Zinnia, he often watched Zinnia cut the ribbon and draw. The shape of chrysanthemum is not only a shape, but also a spirit.