A piece of colored paper and a pair of scissors can transform thousands of worlds.
Paper-cutting, this ancient folk art, to many people, may just be the flash of red on the windows during the Chinese New Year. However, when you get really close to it, you will find that behind each group of paper-cuttings, there is a vibrant story and a unique world hidden.
In my childhood memory, it was the first time I saw window grilles at my grandma’s house. At that time, the flowers, birds, fish and insects seemed to come alive under the sunlight. As the light and shadow intertwined, I experienced the warmth contained in manual skills for the first time.
The art of a small space, the past and present life of paper-cutting
Paper-cutting, as the name suggests, is to use scissors or a carving knife to cut and carve various patterns on paper.
It started in the Han Dynasty. Before the advent of paper, people had already used thin materials such as gold foil, leaves, and leather to decorate their lives with hollow carvings.
During the Tang and Song Dynasties, paper-cutting began to gradually become popular. People would use it to decorate doors and windows, decorate lanterns, and even use it as a base for embroidery.
By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the art of paper-cutting reached its peak, and styles with unique style characteristics were formed in different places across the country.
For example, we are familiar with the northern paper-cutting. Its lines are rough and bold, and the shape has a strong character. The paper-cutting of Shaanxi and Shandong is very representative, with a simple and unpretentious style and a rich local flavor. However, the southern paper-cutting focuses more on exquisiteness and delicacy, with extremely smooth lines. Like the paper-cutting of Zhejiang and Fujian, the pictures are often extremely complicated and exquisite, making it difficult to let go.
It can be said that a small paper-cut is not only a decoration, but also the most direct expression of local customs and aesthetic concepts.
One cut, one story, starting with "The Bun Doll"
When it comes to the content of paper-cutting, it is all-encompassing.
More commonly, there are the word "福" which means auspiciousness, the word "happy" which means auspiciousness, the peony which symbolizes wealth, the peach which represents longevity, and the twelve zodiac signs of different shapes.
But the most interesting thing to me is a traditional pattern called "scratching bun dolls".
There is such a paper-cut pattern, which is extremely ancient. It is often shaped like a doll. The doll has its hands spread out and has two buns on its head. The number of dolls may be one or several.
Its history can be traced back to ancient times. At the beginning, it was used as a protective god to drive away evil, avoid disasters, and pray for fertility.
In many rural areas, people will post such paper-cuts in the bride's bridal chamber, hoping that the couple will have many children and be full of blessings, making the family prosperous.
Look, there is a piece of paper-cut, which carries the simplest expectations of people for life and family through thousands of years.
Hands-on experience and feel the unique charm of paper-cutting
Appreciating paper-cutting is a beautiful enjoyment, and making it yourself is even more fun.
For beginners, starting with simple symmetrical shapes is a good choice.
Just prepare a piece of red paper and a pair of scissors, fold the paper in half, draw the outline of half a butterfly or a flower, cut it along the lines, and unfold it to get a particularly perfect symmetrical pattern.
When you are in the process of paper-cutting, you can experience the most critical core skill of paper-cutting, which is "start with the inside first, then deal with the outside, cut the complicated parts first, and then cut the simple parts."
This means that the complicated holes and details inside the pattern need to be cut out first, and then the outer contours can be cut.
Moreover, the scissors must be stable and the wrist must be flexible so that the cut lines can be smooth.
Nowadays, there are many free paper-cutting tutorial videos on the Internet, and it is very convenient to follow them.
Holding a plain piece of red paper in his hand, it turned into a vivid and vivid work under his control. At this time, the sense of accomplishment cannot be replaced by anything else.
Many schools have also incorporated paper-cutting into the classroom, allowing children to experience the charm of this traditional culture from an early age during hands-on operations.
The wisdom of life hidden in silhouettes
Paper-cutting is not only a craft, but also contains the life wisdom of the ancients.
For example, in the past, most paper-cutting artists in rural areas were women. They did not have professional drawings and relied entirely on a pair of scissors and their ingenuity.
Flowers, birds, fish and insects are represented by them in the most simple way, as are opera characters, and labor scenes are also presented in this way, all of which are familiar things around them.
There is a classic paper-cut pattern called "Old" , the picture is a cat and a butterfly.
"Cat" has the same pronunciation as "耄", and "die" has the same pronunciation as "耋". The combination of the two covers the meaning of "longevity", which means living to eighty or ninety years old.
This way of using homophonic sounds to express good wishes is full of ingenuity and fun.
For another example, the pattern "Lotus" is a lotus and a fish, which is posted during festivals and festivals. The word "lotus" is a homophony of "lian", "fish" and "surplus", which means that life is rich and abundant, and there is always a surplus every year.
These paper-cuts are actually blessings written in patterns. If you can understand them, you can understand the love and yearning that our ancestors had for life.
Paper-cutting, this ancient art form, started from window grilles, has gone through transformations, developed into bookmarks, and expanded from the folk category to the decorative field. It has never been separated from our lives and always exists in our lives.
It is not only a craft that requires patience, but also a window to understand traditional Chinese culture.
Whether we are looking at an exquisite and beautiful work, or cutting out a simple pattern ourselves, we can all experience a kind of tranquility and beauty that comes from thousands of years in this world of size.
The next time you see a paper-cut, you might as well stay a little longer and try to read the story hidden in the silhouette.
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