Chinese Handmade Paper-Cutting: A Lively Silhouette in the Scroll of Intangible Cultural Heritage

In the magnificent scroll of China's intangible cultural heritage, Chinese handmade paper-cutting shines like a vivid silhouette. With its unique artistic charm and profound cultural heritage, it has glittered through the long river of history. It is not merely an exquisite craftsmanship, but a crystallization of the wisdom and emotions of the Chinese nation, carrying thousands of years of memories and telling ancient yet touching stories.

The history of Chinese handmade paper-cutting can be traced back to ancient times. Before the invention of paper, people already used thin materials to create patterns through hollowed-out carving techniques—such as carving simple 纹饰 on pottery and cutting exquisite designs on leather and silk. These early creative practices laid the foundation for the birth of paper-cutting art.

In the Han Dynasty, the invention of papermaking brought an opportunity for the development of paper-cutting art. The emergence of paper provided an ideal carrier for paper-cutting, enabling this art form to spread rapidly among the people. By the Northern and Southern Dynasties, paper-cutting had taken shape, as evidenced by the poem: "Carving gold into ornaments spreads the customs of Jing, cutting colored paper into figures rises with the charm of Jin." We can feel the widespread application of paper-cutting in folk activities at that time—people cut colored paper into various shapes, either as human figures for praying or as flower ornaments for decoration, and paper-cutting began to evolve into an artistic form of expressing good wishes.

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, paper-cutting art reached a new height. In the Tang Dynasty, it was deeply integrated with religion and folk customs, used to decorate Buddhist prayer flags and shine in festival celebrations. In the Song Dynasty, with the prosperity of citizen culture, paper-cutting became a common art form in urban life. There were not only paper-cuts for windows decorating people's homes, but also specialized paper-cutting artisans and workshops. Their works entered palaces and temples, becoming cultural symbols shared by different social strata.

The craftsmanship of Chinese handmade paper-cutting is like an artistic poem composed by artisans with scissors or knives on paper. A small pair of scissors and a thin piece of colored paper, in the hands of artisans, can transform into endless charm.

In terms of regional styles, northern paper-cutting is bold and unconstrained, like the "Xintianyou" folk songs on the Loess Plateau, full of simplicity and heroism. Shaanxi paper-cutting is famous for its concise and lively shapes and strong visual impact. Artisans often use exaggerated and deformed techniques to depict figures, animals and other images vividly. For example, the "Zhua Ji Wa Wa" (a doll with braids) in Ansai paper-cutting has smooth and simple lines and a primitive and exaggerated shape, implying ancient reproductive worship and the wish for good fortune.

Southern paper-cutting, on the other hand, is delicate and elegant, like the silk and bamboo music in the water towns of the Yangtze River Delta, gentle and refined. Chaoshan paper-cutting in Guangdong Province is renowned for its delicate and meticulous knife work. Artisans use small knives to carve meticulously on paper, depicting flowers, insects and birds vividly with perfect details, showing unique artistic charm.

In addition to the differences between northern and southern styles, Chinese handmade paper-cutting also has a variety of expressive techniques, such as yangke (positive cutting), yinke (negative cutting), and the combination of yangke and yinke. Yangke paper-cutting features smooth lines and a bright picture；yinke paper-cutting has heavy lines with a strong contrasting effect; and the combination of the two techniques skillfully integrates them, making the works more layered and vivid.

In Chinese folk life, handmade paper-cutting is an indispensable cultural symbol. It runs through all aspects of people's lives, closely connected with traditional festivals and life rituals, conveying people's love for life and good expectations for the future.

The Spring Festival is the most brilliant stage for paper-cutting art. In thousands of households across the country, red window grilles decorate the windows, and the character "Fu" (good fortune) is pasted upside down on the door, implying "good fortune arrives". Various zodiac paper-cuts are lifelike, adding a strong festive atmosphere to the festival. In rural areas of northern China, people also cut "hanging money" of various shapes, pasted under the eaves. When the breeze blows, they rustle, as if telling blessings for the new year.

Paper-cutting also plays an important role in wedding occasions. Patterns such as "mandarin ducks playing in the water" and "dragons and phoenixes bringing good luck" symbolize conjugal love and family happiness. They are carefully pasted in every corner of the new house, adding a romantic and warm atmosphere to the wedding. In some regions, the bride's dowry also includes exquisite paper-cut works, as good wishes for the new life.

In addition, during traditional festivals such as Qingming, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as life rituals like a baby's full moon and an elderly person's birthday, paper-cutting expresses people's emotions and wishes in its unique artistic form. It is a vivid carrier of folk culture, witnessing the joys and sorrows in people's lives and inheriting cultural memories from generation to generation.

In modern society, with the rapid development of science and technology and changes in people's lifestyles, the ancient art form of Chinese handmade paper-cutting is facing many challenges. The popularity of mass production has led to a flood of cheap substitute paper-cuts in the market, squeezing the living space of handmade paper-cutting. At the same time, the younger generation's interest in traditional craftsmanship is gradually fading, and the problem of talent shortage in inheritance is becoming increasingly prominent.

However, fortunately, with the joint efforts of all sectors of society, the inheritance and development of Chinese handmade paper-cutting have ushered in new opportunities. Many inheritors of intangible cultural heritage adhere to their original aspirations and are committed to inheriting and innovating handmade paper-cutting techniques. They walk into campuses and communities, offering paper-cutting training courses to let more people understand and love this art. At the same time, they actively integrate with modern design, incorporating paper-cutting elements into cultural and creative products, clothing design, home decoration and other fields, giving new vitality to traditional art.

The government has also introduced a series of policies and measures to strengthen the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, providing strong support for the development of handmade paper-cutting. The holding of various cultural exhibitions and art festivals has provided a platform for paper-cutting artisans to display their works, and also allowed more people to have the opportunity to appreciate the charm of handmade paper-cutting.

Chinese handmade paper-cutting, this lively silhouette in the scroll of intangible cultural heritage, still exudes charming brilliance after going through thousands of years of trials and hardships. It is a precious cultural heritage of the Chinese nation and a bridge connecting the past and the future. In the journey of the new era, we have the responsibility and obligation to protect and inherit this ancient art, allowing it to continue to develop through innovation, keep writing its own brilliant chapter, and show the unique cultural charm of the Chinese nation to the world.