Paper cutting
is a traditional art that has evolved through-out the course of
Chinese culturaldevelopment. Its origin should be closely connected
with the invention of paper during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-221
A.D.). As paper was highly precious in the early days, the art
of paper cutting first became popular in the royal palaces and
houses of nobility as a favorite pastime among court ladies. Later,
during the 7th through 13th centuries, paper cutting was immensely
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during folk festivals and celebrations. development.
Its origin should be closely connected with the invention of paper
during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-221 A.D.). As paper was highly precious
in the early days, the art of paper cutting first became popular in
the royal palaces and houses of nobility as a favorite
pastime among court ladies. Later, during the 7th through 13th centuries,
paper cutting was immensely popular during folk festivals and celebrations.
By the 14th century, the art had spread |
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to
the Middle East and Europe;and by the 15th century onward,paper
cut art works had become and integral part of the everyday
life of the people. However, the art of paper cutting was
on the verge of dying out during the past century as old China
experienced successive years of the disaster of war brought
on by domestic turmoil and foreign invasion. Amidst a myriad
of changes in their lives, most people had no leisure time
to engage in the study of the art of paper cutting.
The
influence of paper cutting on continental Europe and Asia
can be traced back to the seventh century. It spread to Japan
and then to the Middle East and Europe via the Silk |
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thus leading to the development of many diverse styles. Today,
many valuable ancient paper cutouts are kept in the national
museums of these countries.
The
art of paper cutting has  remained
unfading in China through the ages principally because its
devotees used the skills of knife and scissors to dynamically
depict splendid Chinese culture and folk festivals in all
its many facets--in a most interesting and likable way that
is felt to be more and more precious with the passage of time.
For example, noble ladies in ancient
times would often use paper cutting to practice their art
during their leisure, while social calls by ordinary folk
involved giving paper cuts as gifts and using paper cut fancy
likenesses for pretty adornment to signify auspiciousness.
Subsequently, mutual emulation and minute study led to a superb
level of technique. By later generations, paper cut art ranged
from clipping complicated patterns using a tiny pair of scissors
to often making cutouts into window decorations, clothes-making
stencils, or embroidery patterns for shoes.
As the art has been passed down through the generations,
the mainstream techniques developed many diverse forms, but
the themes of the subject matter have primarily remained folk
motifs, with two-dimensional illustrations as the primary
form. The technique they display consists of a combination
of trimming with scissors and carving with a knife. The rendering
of their visual appearance involves such methods as applying
multiple layers of color, folding symmetrically, individually
pasting, or uniquely engraving. These diversified cutting
methods could be said to be quite beautiful, but manifestation
of the unique, lively beauty of paper cut art still depends
on the artistic mastery of every paper cut artisan.
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