Chinese paper cutting
Chinese paper cutting, or Jianzhi, is a kind of folk art which uses scissors or knives to cut papers for decoration or other folk activities. Having a wide mass base in China, paper cutting has been involved in the social life for different peoples and has presented multiple social values in cognition, amusement and communication etc.
In 2006, Jianzhi was enlisted into the first group of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the State Council, and it was listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists in 2009.
Origin：
The art of paper-cutting in China may date back to the second century C.E., since paper was invented by Cai in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. As paper became more affordable, paper-cutting became one of the most important types of Chinese folk art. Later, this art form spread to other parts of the world, with different regions adopting their own cultural styles. Because the cut-outs are often used to decorate doors and windows, they are sometimes ref
erred to as paper-cut for window, window flowers or window paper-cuts. People glued the papercuts to the exterior of windows, so the light from the inside would shine through the negative space of the cutout. Usually, the artworks are made of red paper, as red is associated with festivities and happiness in Chinese culture, but others colored were also used. Normally paper-cutting artwork is used on festivals like Spring Festival, weddings and childbirth. Papercuts always symbolize luck and happiness.
Chinese paper-cutting originated from ancient activities of worshipping ancestors and gods, and is a traditional part of Chinese culture. According to archaeological records, it originates from the 6th century, although some believe that its history could be traced as far back as the Warring States period (around 3 BC), long before the paper was invented. At that time, people used other thin materials, like leaves, silver foil, silk and even leather, to carve hollowed patterns. Later, when paper was invented, people realized that this material was easy to cut, store and discard, and paper became the major material for this type of artwork. During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1912), this artistry witnessed its most prosperous period. For over a thousand years, people (mainly women) have been making
paper-cuts as part a leisure activity. They created different type of paper-cutting and shared and passed this traditional craftsmanship to their children, so that this traditional art style became more and more popular and is still practiced to this day.
In ancient times, human beings have discovered and used images as an artistic method of image representation, and then created the artistic language of engraving and air through various materials. This is in many primitive society color pottery and rock painting, Shang Zhou bronzes, Han dynasty picture stone art, reflected ancient artificer to use this artistic technique consummation. Today's folk paper-cuts are strikingly consistent with the style and exterior features of the paper, which fully explain the inheritance and continuity of their relationship.
    The Chinese imperial concubine holding the baby, playing with the window, skillfully cutting the Paulownia Leaves according to the window screen. Use thin slice material to cut carve flower, before have paper already be like Han dynasty gold and silver foil engraved flower. But the exact cut, of course, is after paper. Our country is the country that invented
paper, already began to make paper in the western Han dynasty. At this point, the use of paper for cutting out the hollow out performance in accordance with the paper-cut art required by the folk custom has been generated among the people. However, the earliest papercut was found in the north Korean period (386 A.D. 581), which was unearthed near the flaming mountain of Turpan in Xinjiang. These papercuts, the way of repeated folding and the non-occlusion of the image, are very similar to today's folk paper cutting paper.
When paper-cutting passed down to the Tang dynasty, the skills of handcraft became mature. Paper-cutting was not only a kind of handcraft, but also a piece of artwork, as it could express the idea through the pattern. In Ming and Qing dynasty, paper-cutting experienced its peak development. Folk paper-cutting spread to a wider range and had abundant means of artistic expression. Paper-cutting was used to decorate doors, windows and walls to show happiness and festival.
Classification：
worshippingPaper-cutting is one of the oldest and the most popular folk arts in China. It can be geograp
hically divided into a southern and a northern style. The southern style, represented by works from Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province and Le Qing in Zhejiang Province, features ingenious and beautiful designs, exquisite carving and interesting shapes. The northern style, mainly from Yu Xian and Feng Ning in Hebei Province and best represented by works from northern Shaanxi, features exaggerated shapes, vigorousness, vivid depictions and diverse patterns.
The style of window paper-cuts is usually free, except the flower pattern on the corner. The theme of window paper-cuts has a wide range, the most popular of which is based on the stories of traditional Chinese opera. As most buyers are farmers, the content of window paper-cut usually describe farming, spinning, fishing and poultry farming.
1. To pattern classification: paper cutting patterns for people, animals, characters, with 62, flowers, fruits and vegetables, insects, landscapes and so on, and proposed the addition of the world's rare, modern class two, a total of 11 categories.
2. Category: China paper-cut meaning characteristics, the performance of the theme implie
s, so the basis of meaning, which can be divided into: blessing, cowardly evil, evil, exhortation, warning, interest and other seven categories.