Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi is the first type of paper-cutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China.
It’s a very distinctive visual art of Chinese handicrafts. The art form later spread to other parts of the world with different areas adopting their own cultural styles. After hundreds of years of development, now they’ve become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women. The paper-cuts are also used to decorate doors and windows, and therefore they’re sometimes referred to “chuang hua”, meaning Window Flower. Paper-cuts are chiefly used as decorations. However, today Chinese paper-cuts are also used for religious and ceremonial purposes, and they’re buried with the dead and burned at funerals.
Chinese people believe the red paper-cuts on the door can bring good fortune and happiness to the whole family. The paper-cuts are more often seen during traditional Chinese festivals, particularly in Chinese New Year—the Spring Festival. They’re also given as gifts to friends or other family members.
Paper-cuttings aren’t produced by machine, but by hand. There are two methods of manufacture: one using scissors, the other using knives. Knife cuttings are fashioned by putting several layers of paper on a relatively soft foundation. Following a pattern, the artist cuts the motif(图案) into the paper with a sharp knife that he usually holds vertically(垂直地). The advantage of knife-cuttings is that considerably more paper cuttings can be made in one operation than with scissor cuttings.
It’s easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but difficult to master it with perfection. One must grasp the knife in an upright fashion and press evenly on the paper with some strength. Flexibility is required but any hesitation will damage the whole image.
People find hope and comfort in expressing wishes with paper-cuttings. For instance: for a wedding ceremony, red paper-cuttings are a traditional decoration on the tea set, the dressing table glass, and on other furniture. A big red paper character “Xi” (happiness) is a traditional must on the newlyweds' door.
本时文内容由奇速英语国际教育研究院原创编写，未经书面授权，禁止复制和任何商业用途，版权所有，侵权必究！（合作联系：028-84400718 QQ：757722345）
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