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Folk paper-cutting is a kind of folk art, which takes paper as the processing object and scissors (or carving knife) as the tool to create. Paper-cutting is widely circulated among the people and has a long history. Paper-cut works of 1500 years ago have been unearthed in Xinjiang. Later, it can also be seen in decorative patterns, shadow play, blue calico, sketch embroidery and paintings of Rangu, Huasheng, Jizhou Kiln and Dingyao. As a traditional folk art, it occupies an important position in folk activities. Professional folk paper-cutting artists appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty. Folk paper-cutting often refines and summarizes natural forms through homophonic, symbolic and moral means, forming beautiful patterns.

The history of folk paper-cutting

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Folk paper-cutting is an ancient traditional folk art in China. It has a long history and unique style, and is deeply loved by people at home and abroad.

The main material of paper-cutting is paper. Paper is one of China's four great inventions. It has always been recognized that papermaking was invented by Cai Lun around 105. Later, paper from the Western Han Dynasty was unearthed in Fufeng County, Shaanxi Province. Experts believe that China's paper appeared before Emperor Han Ping, probably during the Xuan Di period (73 BC-49 BC). No matter what the final conclusion is, there will be no real paper-cutting before the invention of paper. However, other plates are used for cutting and carving, but before there is paper.

Cultural relics record

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Warring States period (22 BC1)

① 1950- 1952 During the excavation of the Warring States site in Guwei Village, Huixian County, Henan Province, arc ornaments carved with silver foil were found.

(2) Gold ornaments of the Jin Dynasty unearthed in Huangniqi, Changsha, Hunan. Although these decorations hollowed out with silver foil can't be said to be paper-cut, they can be said to have formed the predecessor of paper-cut art in carving technology and artistic style.

Northern Dynasties (386-534 AD)

The paper was cut into beautiful patterns. At present, the earliest and well-documented discovery is near the Flame Mountain in Turpan, Xinjiang. Five paper-cuts with flowers in groups have been unearthed successively: horse flowers in the southern and northern dynasties, monkey flowers in the southern and northern dynasties, gold and silver flowers in the southern and northern dynasties, chrysanthemum flowers in the southern and northern dynasties, and octagonal flowers in the southern and northern dynasties.

Tang Dynasty (AD 665438)

Paper-cut patterns have been applied to other handicrafts in the Tang Dynasty;

(1) 1963- 1965 "Mansheng" paper-cut unearthed in Turpan, Xinjiang.

② 1973 Xi 'an unearthed leather hat has hollow patterns.

(3) From the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, a kind of gold and silver inlay technology was developed. The carved gold and silver foil was stuck on the back of lacquerware or bronze mirror, filled with pigment, and dried to show a golden pattern on the painted floor. Gold and silver mirror of Tang Dynasty unearthed in Zhengzhou, Henan Province (diameter 36.2 cm)

(4) The gold foil engraved with "Man wins" in the Tang Dynasty is now stored in Zhengcang, Japan.

⑤ 195 1 Gold Foil Carvings of Han Dynasty Unearthed in Changsha, Hunan.

Song dynasty (960- 1279)

There are many records about paper-cutting in Song Dynasty. Some paper-cuts are decorated as gifts, some are pasted on windows, some are decorated with lanterns, and some are cut into so-called "dragons and tigers". There were artists who took this as their profession in the Southern Song Dynasty. Some of them are good at cutting "various calligraphy characters", while others specialize in cutting "various colors and patterns". At this time, shadow play was popular, and the materials for carving shadow play were not only animal skins, but also thick paper.

Paper-cutting in Song Dynasty is an important creation of craft decoration. It's porcelain from Jizhou kiln. Its products include teacups and vases. There are many patterns, such as phoenix, plum blossom, loquat and auspicious words. It's lively. It is made by the author in the process of glaze, paper-cutting and firing in the kiln.

Modern folk blue printed cloth is made of carved cardboard, then imitated and dyed. This printing and dyeing technology has been very common in the Song Dynasty, and the printed cloth of the Southern Song Dynasty unearthed in Shanxi is an example.

Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368- 1644)

The gauze lanterns in Ming Dynasty are very famous. It is a paper-cut sandwiched between yarns. Patterns reflected by candlelight are another application of paper-cutting in daily life. Now people call it "lantern".

▲ Qing Dynasty (A.D.1644-1911)

Few paper-cuts have been handed down. In the Kunning Palace of the Palace Museum in Beijing, the ceiling and the corridor walls on both sides of the palace are all set off with white paper with paper-cut patterns of black dragons and phoenixes.

history

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the Tang Dynasty

In the poem left by Cui Daorong, there is such a sentence: "If you want to cut Yichun characters, people cut scissors in spring." The Yichun Post mentioned here is also a well-known "paper-cut art work", and the poem "Man Shuo" written by Li Shangyin, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, is also about this: "Carve gold to win the custom, cut the ribbon to promote the prosperity of people." Duan's Youyang Miscellaneous Notes said: "On the day of beginning of spring, the home of literati, paper-cutting is a kind of Xiaoping, which is hung on the head of a beautiful woman or decorated under a flower, and cut into a spring butterfly, which wins the drama with spring.

Southern Song Dynasty

Zhou Mi's Miscellaneous Notes on Poetry in Zia Hall wrote: "Therefore, everyone has a problem, and those who cut all kinds of colorful patterns are extremely exquisite. And those who are more ambitious in the Central Plains will be professional every time they cut their calligraphy. Later, some teenagers have been able to cut words and flowers on their sleeves very accurately. " That is, "Kaifeng" mansion, and "pattern paper-cutting" naturally refers to "paper-cutting".

Paper-cut artists have names to test. Besides Yu Chengzhi mentioned above, they also ordered Lin Wenhui. Jiande County, Guangzhou, says, "Lin Wenhui, the characters are neat, the paper-cut characters are anticlimactic, and the difference is not bad. The house owner renovated it into a vertical shaft, which is easy to pay for rice and self-sufficiency, which is called cutting. " Yang Cheng also mentioned a Taoist priest who "cut words", saying that he "took poems from a mountain for many years, cut words with green paper, and the rice chapter was solid."

Use classification

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From the specific use, it can be roughly divided into four categories:

One is for posting, that is, directly sticking on doors, windows, walls, lanterns and ribbons for decoration. Such as window grilles, wall flowers, ceiling flowers, cigarette lattices, lantern flowers, paper-tied flowers, and door stickers;

Second, it is used for decoration, that is, for decorating gifts, dowries, sacrifices and offerings. Such as flowers, flowers, fireworks, candlestick flowers, fragrant flowers, Chongyang flag;

Thirdly, embroidery patterns are used in clothing, shoes, hats and pillows. Such as shoe flower, pillow flower, hat flower, bib flower, sleeve flower and suspender flower;

Four, printing and dyeing, that is, as a printing plate of blue printed cloth, used for clothing, quilts, curtains, bags, bibs, headscarves and so on.

Paper-cut for window decoration

Decorative paper-cuts are pasted on the windows. Generally speaking, in the north, most farmers' windows are wooden lattice windows, vertical grids, squares or geometric grids, and a layer of white "leather paper" is attached to them. On holidays, the paper for window grilles is replaced and new window grilles are affixed, indicating that the old ones have been dismantled and the new ones are welcome. The forms of window grilles include corner flowers, broken branches, animals, flowers, figures and other freely adaptable patterns, as well as continuous sets of opera or legend window grilles. In short, panes of different shapes are arranged in different ways. There is a special arrangement, that is, window grilles between panes, which Shandong folks call "crossing the window".

Xihua

Wedding and festive fashion point all kinds of utensils and supplies and paper-cut indoor furnishings. Paper-cutting is generally placed on daily necessities such as tea sets, soap boxes and pots. Some are posted on the toilet mirror. Most of the themes of love flower patterns emphasize the meaning of auspiciousness and happiness. The color is bright red. Shapes and styles are round, square, diamond, peach, pomegranate and so on. , and is equipped with various auspicious patterns such as dragons and phoenixes, mandarin ducks, magpies, flowers and plants, peonies, etc. There is a method of "flowers in flowers" in composition and layout.

Fireworks, fireworks

Paper-cuts are pasted on cakes, noodles, eggs and other gifts. It is called "cake flower" and "fruit flower" in Chaozhou, Guangdong, and "circle potted flower" in Pingyang, Zhejiang. The theme of fireworks mostly adopts auspicious and festive patterns. In Shandong, paper-cuts are pasted on "Happy Eggs" to celebrate the birth of children, or eggs are dyed red to reveal white patterns. In rural areas of Fujian, tortoise patterns are given to each other as a symbol of longevity. There are turtle-shaped cakes and turtle-shaped paper cuts.

Xie Hua

Paper-cut is used as the embroidery pattern of cloth shoe uppers. There are generally three forms: one is cut into small flowers or embroidered on the toes, which is called "toe flower"; The other is to cut them into crescent shapes according to the shape of the uppers, which is called "toe flowers"; And the third kind extends from both ends of the toe flower to the upper, which is called "shoe flower". There is also a kind called "sole flower", which was used for "longevity shoes" in the old days. Or embroidered on the bottom of cloth socks. The layout of shoe flowers is generally sparse, and the themes are flowers and birds. Some shoe flowers are partially cut without hollowing out, which is called "dark knife", which is the basis for changing the needle color in embroidery.

Door tip

Also known as "hanging money", "hanging money", "red money", "happy money", "door color" and "fasting butterfly". Generally used on the lintel or the second beam in the hall. Its style is mostly pennant-shaped, with a big head and a wide side and a tassel under it. Most of them are carved with red paper, but there are also other colors or colors. Most of the patterns are geometric patterns or embedded with figures, flowers, dragons and phoenixes, and auspicious characters, such as "Celebrating the world", "National Peace and Security", "Good weather", "Happy Ever After", "Magpie Climbing Plums", "Happiness, Auspiciousness, Longevity, Happiness, Richness and Prosperity" and so on. When posting, whether it is a word or a paragraph, it is hung in sets. Usually put up five. Sticking the doormat not only has the unexpected effect of printing spring and getting rid of the old, but also has the significance of praying for good luck and exorcism.

Bean fragrant flower

Color paper-cut is mainly used for decoration in folk activities such as offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods. In the old days, incense was always burned when offering sacrifices, and incense was generally made into thin strips, called "line incense"; There are also thick strips coiled into various patterns, such as seal script, formerly known as "Xiangyin". This kind of seal must be covered with a bucket-shaped base and supported by bamboo sticks. Color paper-cut is randomly placed on the base and bracket, which is called "Dou Xiang Hua". There are auspicious patterns such as figures and immortals (such as the Eight Immortals, Hehe, Shouxing) on the theme of fighting fragrant flowers. Most of them are carved with wax paper, each set is about ten pieces.

Paper-cut flower

A format of paper-cutting. It has a circular pattern, and it is evenly distributed all around. This decorative format can especially show its superiority in paper-cutting, because paper can be folded, for example, twice, three times and four times diagonally, so that flowers with even sides can be cut out. The earliest paper-cut objects in China, the paper-cuts unearthed in Xinjiang during the Northern Dynasties, are all in the form of group flowers, such as "group flowers are birds", "group flowers are monkeys", "octagonal group flowers", "group flowers are gold and silver patterns" and "group flowers are chrysanthemum patterns". It can be seen that the group flower format is the oldest format in paper-cutting.

Paper-cut banner

Paper-cutting is used to cut flags in folk activities. For example, in the folk Double Ninth Festival, colored paper is cut into banners and inserted on the Double Ninth Cake, which is very beautiful. In the Song Dynasty, there was an ancient custom in Zhejiang. If there were patients, witches held paper-cut dragon and tiger flags to ward off evil spirits and eliminate disasters. In the funeral, the "flower banners" used for the funeral are also cut out of ordinary paper. The paper-cut flower banner is related to the banner held by the Buddha who leads the way in Buddhism; In addition, there are paper-cut "evocation paper strips" and "sparse" hanging on the beam of the Hall of Prayer in fast food (similar in shape to banners) to commemorate the anniversary of the deceased.

Paper-cutting can be seen everywhere.

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Pixian paper-cutting

The popular paper-cutting in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, features Pixian County. There are two kinds: engraved paper is colored stationery, and waxed paper is used for color matching; Except for the artist's shoes, most paper-cuts are window grilles. The themes of window grilles are labor scenes, poultry, cattle and sheep, folklore, historical stories, peach blossoms, flowers, fish and insects, dragons and phoenixes, etc.

Gaomi paper-cutting

Paper-cutting art in Gaomi, Shandong Province. From the doors and windows and the roof of the farmhouse to the cabinets and wardrobes, there are paper-cut decorations. Generally, the production is straight-cut, without making a draft, and it is characterized by the combination of sawtooth pattern and straight line to form an image.

Foshan paper-cutting

Folk paper-cutting in Foshan, Guangdong. It spread in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Because its paper-cutting production method adopts cutting, engraving, chiseling, printing, writing and lining, it can be divided into solid color paper-cutting, copper lining, copper writing, paper writing, golden flower writing and silver writing. His works are very particular about cutting and carving, and he often cuts and carves on paper or special copper foil or tin foil with a knife or scissors. In particular, the copper writing material is the most distinctive, which combines painting, sculpture, writing and other techniques to make the works vigorous and magnificent. Foshan paper-cut was also used as the manuscript of architecture and furniture carving more than 100 years ago, and then used for interior decoration. Sticking on lintels and columns, it is also used for decoration such as sacrifice, binding, spending money and setting off firecrackers.

Taijiang paper-cutting

Paper-cutting of Miao nationality in Taijiang, Guizhou. Embroidery patterns such as sleeve flowers, waist flowers and hat flowers are the most common. Although there are dragons and phoenixes, peonies and so on. Their model is very different from that of the Han nationality. In particular, the stitching of sleeve flowers makes people feel the characteristics of seeing the fine in the rough.

Luanzhoumai

There are two meanings. A shadow play in Luanxian County, Hebei Province, is said to have flourished in the early Ming Dynasty, but the earliest literature records only see Luanzhou Zhi in Jiaqing period of Qing Dynasty. Locals call it "Laoting Shadow" instead of "Luanzhou Shadow", which may be called "Laoting Tune" to sing. One refers to Shandong shadow play. Shandong Shadow Play is also said to have been introduced from Hebei, and its singing is mostly Qin Liu accent. Its carvings are rough and simple, and its scripts are myths and legends and local historical stories.

Ansai paper-cutting

Paper-cutting spread in Ansai area in northern Yan 'an, Shaanxi Province. There are various forms, such as window flower, door painting, kang flower, hanging curtain flower, kiln top flower, table skirt flower, pillow flower, shoe flower, brand flower, belly flower and so on. There are several contents. One is to beautify the environment during the Spring Festival. There are many auspicious themes, such as birds, flowers, cows, sheep, pigs and dogs, lions and tigers. Second, it is used to decorate new houses, such as pomegranate peony and birds in pairs; Third, it is used to make embroidery and cloth toys, with many pairs of pomegranate, peach, tiger doll and other patterns; Fourth, it is used for superstitious etiquette, such as the kitchen god, the god of wealth, and the paper man used for evocation.

Longdong paper-cut

Paper-cut art in Qingyang and Pingliang, Gansu. Longdong paper-cutting has a long history and its style is rough and exaggerated. The paper-cutting in Zhengning, Ningxian, Heshui, Qingyang, Huachi and Huanxian in the east is simple and elegant. The styles of Xifeng and Zhenyuan in the middle are beautiful and neat; Pingliang, Jingchuan, Chongxin, Huating and Zhuanglang in the upper reaches of Jinghe River in the west are relatively simple and lively. There are many birds and animals, folk stories, opera figures, flowers in four seasons and so on. As far as its forms are concerned, there are door flowers, Kang kiln flowers, kiln top flowers, corsage flowers, grain storage flowers, lantern flowers, wedding flowers, hanging curtain flowers, fireworks, birthday flowers, embroidery patterns and so on.

Fushan paper-cut

Fushan, Shanxi has the reputation of "the hometown of paper cutting". Its paper-cuts are all over the county and popular in the southwest of the mountain. Its forms are window grilles, fireworks and so on. The most distinctive feature is that twelve months of "bridge flowers" are connected in series to celebrate children's birthdays. Fushan paper-cut is widely used in embroidery patterns of clothes, pillows, skirts, purses, shoes, hats and handkerchiefs in daily life, as well as paper banners, gold and silver mountains, bridges and horses, battle flags and so on needed for funeral, sacrifice and blessing. It is also used to print, cut and paste patterns of farm curtains, around dining tables, chairs, bedspreads, bedding and cloth.

Binzhou paper-cut

Paper-cutting is popular in Huimin area of Lubei, Shandong Province. Most of them are window grilles or embroidery patterns. The style is rougher than Jiaodong. Symmetrical (folding-cutting) graphics in paper-cutting are very distinctive. Now the representative authors of paper-cutting are Zhao Qiuchun, Zhao Hengying, Ren, Zhang Jine.

Yuxian paper-cutting

Paper-cutting in Yuxian County, Hebei Province has a history of 200 years. Good at window grilles, "the sky is high and the clouds are light" can be said to be the earliest form of window grilles, that is, painting and coloring mica sheets for decoration. Later, the woodcut watermark window grilles in Wuqiang County, Hebei Province were introduced, which absorbed its color characteristics and imitated the transparent effect of "bright sky", replacing cutting with engraving, forming the unique style of Yuxian paper-cutting. Yuxian paper-cutting is mainly based on "intaglio engraving" and "stippling", so there is a saying of "three division of labor and seven dyeing". Themes are mostly taken from opera characters, with auspicious images such as flowers, birds, fish, insects, birds and beasts.

Nanjing paper-cut

According to historical records, paper was popular among the people in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in the Ming Dynasty. Among them, flowers and bean fragrant flowers are famous all over the world. In the past, Nanjing people decorated boxes, cabinets, quilts, pillows and other dowries with all kinds of wedding flowers cut from red paper. The theme of the pattern is to fill flowers, leaves and other auspicious patterns according to the needs and specific paper-cut shapes. It can be said that there are flowers in the flowers, questions in the questions, details in the rough, and spirits in the clumsy. There are operas, historical stories, folklore, auspicious patterns, flowers and so on. Color matching is generally composed of seven colors of wax paper, such as gold and red, pink, green, blue, orange, light yellow and black, and the effect is very strong. In Nanjing paper-cutting, most flowers are cut with scissors except fragrant flowers and door tags.

Shanxi paper cutting

The genre form of Shanxi folk paper-cutting is adapted to local folk customs and actual needs. The most common is window grilles, the size of which depends on the shape of the pane. For example, the window formats in the northwest of the mountain are diamond, round and polygonal, and the window grilles vary with the windows. They are small, ingenious and full of childlike interest. The big ones are "group flowers" with four corners, six corners and eight corners, which are elegant and generous. In Xinzhou area, when celebrating the Spring Festival or holding a wedding, it is necessary to post "full window flowers", that is, cut off persimmons, ruyi, peony, bergamot, lotus, osmanthus, sheng, etc., and wish the newly married wife wonderful workmanship, early birth and happiness.

Generally speaking, the style of Shanxi folk paper-cutting has the characteristics of rough expansion, grandeur, simplicity and simplicity in the northern region. However, due to the similarity of regional environment, living customs and aesthetic concepts, paper-cutting varies from place to place. For example, the paper-cuts in southern Shanxi, central Shanxi, southeastern Shanxi, northwestern Shanxi and mountainous areas of Lvliang are mostly monochrome paper-cuts, with simple and rough styles. Dyed paper-cuts popular in Yanbei area are elegant and magnificent, especially "Guangling window grilles".

"Guangling window grilles" are famous for their lifelike modeling, exquisite carving and gorgeous colors. Its raw material is a piece of white rice paper, and its tools are several oblique-edged carving knives of different sizes. The procedure is to carve out the finished paper-cut products with a knife and then dye them. Folk craftsmen attach great importance to knife carving and coloring skills. They can carve many finished products in just a few minutes with simple tools, mainly negative carving, supplemented by positive carving. When coloring, use good white wine to color, and add a small amount of alum to the darker color, which can not only make the painted color bright and moist, but also ensure the long-term preservation of paper-cuts. Guangling paper-cut has won a reputation for its exquisite skills, and now it has been sold to France, the United States, Japan, Poland and other countries, becoming a cherished work of art by overseas friends.

People compare life to an evergreen tree. Then, we say that the art under scissors is flowers and fruits on evergreen trees. Folk paper-cutting is rooted in the people, spread among the people, original and simple, and always exudes the fragrance of art.