Chinese Paper Cut Art

    Happy Chinese New Year everyone! (Chinese New Year falls on the 8th of February). Anyway, I apologize to the readers of this blog if I haven't posted here for quite awhile. Today, I'm going to share to you some information about the Chinese Paper Cut (剪纸 jianzhi in Mandarin). I came to know the art of Chinese paper cutting (beautiful, and intricately designed red papers, usually made of rice paper) through one of my favorite Chinese movie which is, 'The Road Home'. In my country the Philippines I think there are paper cut decors but not as popular and detailed as with the Chinese paper craft. I am talking about the paper wrappers made out of Japanese paper for the popular sweets called 'pastillas' (soft milk candies rolled in sugar, sometimes they use carabao's milk for that creamier taste) candies made in Bulacan. Luz Ocampo was a skilled pastillas wrapper maker and she was known for preserving the traditional art making of pastillas wrapper. In a documentary that I have seen from GMA (State of the Nation - Jessica Soho) it is mentioned there that this craft originally came from the Chinese which the Filipinos have adopted, thus the tradition of making decorative pastillas wrapper was born.  There are a lot of information of the internet about the art of Chinese Paper Cut. I will share to you what I have learned from CCCTV and UNESCO documentaries on the art of Chinese paper cut. Below are short transcripts from the following documentaries. I made a transcript for each one.

"Chinese paper cutting is a folk art with a time honored tradition. In the past the themes of the papercuts tended to be red and for customs.  Such as festivals, marriages, bday banquets and so on. Nowadays this handicraft has become enriched with modern context. And papercuts are as popular as ever. Whether they are used as gifts or as decorations. (CCCTV)

The Chinese Paper cut is traditional handicraft included in the national intangible cultural heritage list which was originally called "pattern-cut" in ancient time. With a scissors or carving knives decorative patterns come out of the paper and as adornments, they are applied in people's life or folk activities. In China paper cut is very popular among folks. The visual images and pattern forms convey rich historical and cultural information, expressing the social and moral understandings of the people, illustrating the practice, experience, ideal of life, as well as aesthetic tendency of the people. Thus the Chinese paper cut has important social and aesthetic values in aspects of cognition, education, illustration, entertainment, and social exchange. 

The Chinese paper cut can be found all over the People's Republic of China. There are many ethnic groups involved Han, Man, Hui, Zhuang, Miao, Bai, Dai, etc. In areas of North-West, South-West, North-China, South-China, East-China, and North-east China. The paper cut is densely distributed. The paper cut of Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, and Hebei provinces, are representing the North style, and the paper cut of Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangdong, Sichuan, and the Guizhou Provinces are the typical South style. The Chinese paper cut is a traditional folk art created among Chinese people, and has a history of over 1,500 years. In the mid-20th century five paper cut works were excavated in an ancient tomb of North and South Dynasties in Astana. Turpan of Xinjiang Region in China. Including horse couplets, monkey couplets, which are the earliest paper cut works found at present. Some paper cut works between Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties period were also found in Long Country of Shaanxi province and DunHuang of Gansu province. The themes and the patterns of these ancientpaper cuts are still circulating, and developing among Chinese folks, and some primitive Chinese philosophy and the procreation worship can even find their traces in the original patterns spread in Shaanxi, such as Egret catching fish, fish with human face, and a cute child. People exclaim at the sight of such works, as they pass down cultural information, of over one thousand years. Proving the long history and the vitality of the Chinese paper cut.

There are two skill types in Chinese paper cut scissoring and carving. For the former people cut out one or several patterns with scissors at one time; carving knives are used for several patterns at one time. Different applications for the Chinese paper cut in folk tradition result in a diversity of paper-cut patterns. Some are for decorative purposes, attached to door, curtains, windows, cupboards, brick beds, ceilings or table cloths. Some are as examples of embroidery for making patterns in pillows, shoes, belly vests, or cuffs. Still there are patterns for various occasions or festivals expressing happiness, longevity, some patterns can even be found on lamps or dragon boats or numerous folk activities. Wishing for good climate, dispelling evils, procreation or auspicious life. The paper cuts are improvised adopting theme in vast scope. including legend, history, daily life, folk believe, nature etc. 

Patterns in paper cut always have cultural implications. As pomegranate signifies happiness with abundant children. Peach means longevity, peony is fortune, and plum is all best luck. The forms of Chinese paper cut are also various, single color. patches, color and cut, cut and drawing. Dyeing, copper lining, paper modelling etc.

The patterns of Chinese paper cut are exaggerating and vivid. Expressing the rich imagination of the Chinese people. As China has vast territories, the geographical and traditional differences between North and South.resulted in the variety of Chinese paper cuts. Comparatively speaking the North paper cuts are bold and unconstrained. While the South delicate and elegant. 

Today paper cut is still a popular among Chinese people to express their thoughts and emotions, and the

interaction and re-creation. Are easily found when its is involved in modern folk activities. The Chinese government has taken a serious attitude toward the collection and preservation work for Chinese Paper Cut.Since the 80's of the 20th century. The Chinese government has organized large scale surveys on paper cut, and has sorted our large quantity of paper cut works and related materials. Presently the Chinese government is taking various measures for the protection and succession of Chinese paper cut.Including nominating successors organizing paper cut societies, holding exhibitions, producing TV documentaries. publishing books, the setting up of educational classes etc. 

The paper cut now still conveys, rich traditional cultural information, and its cultural influence, in vast areas still exists. It will be great honor if the Chinese paper cut is included in the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity and certainly such movie will pride and honor to Chinese people. Inspiring the Chinese government and relative agencies for all efforts in the protection and succession of Chinese paper cut, The exchange between Chinese paper cut and different cultures of the world will be greatly promoted, and finally the Chinese paper cut will make its active contribution to the building of harmonious world and the multi-cultural preservation of humanity." (UNESCO)

There are may Chinese paper craft artist in China, one popular paper artist from Guangdong, named Mr. Ye Runsheng. The photos here, the paper crafts are made by me. The materials that are commonly used in Chinese paper cut art are a good pair of sharp scissors and red colored paper (I use red art paper), but the commonly used paper for this is the rice paper. I cannot find rice paper so I make use of what is available.   I made three paper cut art following an instructional video online, one is a butterfly (hu-die in mandarin). Have you seen the Chinese movie, 'The Butterfly Lovers', the story is similar to 'Romeo and Juliet', the butterfly symbolizes love particularly young love, and the other one is the fish (yu in mandarin), the fish is one of the popular design well-loved by the Chinese people since this symbolized abundance. The last paper cut art that I made is the monkey holding a candied stick or tanghulu in mandarin. In the Chinese tradition and belief this year 2016 is the year of the monkey (shen). I posted this work of mine in fb, and I'm so happy because a well-esteemed person in the Filipino-Chinese circle appreciates my work, and he shared it to others in a Filipino-Chinese heritage group in a social network. He told me that one member asked if I would like to make a demo for a workshop. I'm elated but I believe I still need more practice to perfect this craft, and maybe someday I can teach others effectively. Truly,  the Chinese paper cut art are really beautiful to look at. They are intricately designed, and truly a labor of love. Let's do the paper cut. Paper cut hurts, but certainly not this one! jiayou!