Paper-cut is a traditional art in China which has been making its way along the route of the long history of paper. The kind of art went after the invention of paper in Han Dynasty (25-220), once became one of the main form of the arts, and was popular to the people of the time. Since paper is not suitable conserve for long time, only few works of paper-cuts have left. The earliest paper-cuts in China can be traced back to the period known as Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-581).
Paper-cut is a kind of engraving art, which is made of paper. The main tool for paper cutting is scissors. Once they are owned by a master of paper cutting, they will become so supernatural that the paper-cuts beyond imagination flow out of his/her hands in the chattering of a common pair of scissors. Another tool for paper-cut is engraving knives which are necessary to enhance a sharpened effect or to make a delicate job.
The designs of paper-cuts have developed into many different genres during the long history of paper-cuts art, and derive various local styles endowed with strong characters. But in General, there are two kinds of it – the single color ones and the multicolor ones. To Chinese, red is lucky color. Single-color paper color is often made of red paper which the color red is always regarded as the sign of good fortune for Chinese. In every festival and celebration, the color of red occupies the leading position among people’s lives. It represents happy and busy festivals, and stands for the rosiness and fortune of human beings as well.
Multi-color paper-cut is a technique by cutting and engraving part of the painting on paper in various colors, and patch up to a complete painting. But it also can cut or engrave patterns on white paper and paint with color later. Multi-color paper-cut is created in various colors endowed with full-bodied rural cultural characters.
The themes of the paper-cuts works usually include everything in people’s daily life from dumb things to surroundings. Familiarity makes them understand the real spirits of the art. Chinese culture has many auspicious patterns and varied animal sign endowed with special meanings, such as the bat which stands for good fortune, fish representing rich and peony that symbolizes riches and honor, etc. So those auspicious symbols always are used in the design of paper-cuts. Historical stories, fables, legends and even common stories about people’s daily life also could become the design of paper-cuts, for instance, a sense that a man is drawing a handcart, a sense about feeding pigs or shepherding. The designs of paper-cuts not only have features about characters and animals, but various senses about mountain, river and buildings. Moreover, the people from minorities also reflect their faith in the design of paper-cuts. However, roles of local dramas have gradually become the important creative materials for paper cutting art since the fancy of people to local dramas.
The Chinese make delicate paper-cuts for celebrations, festivals and home decoration. The bright colors of red, green or light blue paper-cuts provide a strong foil to set off a merry atmosphere. Paper-cuts are popular in the countryside. And most of the paper-cuts artists are women. This used to be one of the crafts that every girl was to master and that were often used to judge brides. When the Spring Festival in on the corner, the women are busy on cutting paper, every family’s walls, windows, doors, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns, even the steamed breads are decorated with those beautiful paper-cuts.