Chinese Paper-cutting, a Fantastic Folk Art

paper-cutting is a special kind of Chinese folk art, it has more than 1700-year history since it first appeared in 400s AD in China. This form of handmade culture is full of artistic characteristics, fun and joy. On every occasion, such as festivals and weddings, Chinese people prefer to paste paper-cuts on windows, walls, doors and lanterns, which can enhance the festive atmosphere. 

According to the contents, paper-cutting can be divided into eleven categories, they are, figures, birds, beasts, aquatics, insects, characters, utensils, flowers, trees, fruits and vegetables, and landscapes. 

 

This paper-cut is about a Chinese myth—Eight Immortals.

This paper-cut is about a phoenix. The phoenix is a kind of auspicious bird in Chinese culture. It always appears in weddings. Besides, in old time, the Empress is considered as the Phoenix while the Emperor is considered as the Dragon. Both phoenixes and dragons are legendary living beings that represent the power in Chinese culture. 

This paper-cut is about a character—囍. It is only used for weddings. The word—囍 means double happiness in English. There are a phoenix on the left side and a dragon on the right side of the paper-cut.

This paper-cut is about the roosters in a variety of forms.

 

This paper-cut describes an ancient beauty among a pool of lotuses. 

This paper-cut is called Monalisa's smile. Believe me, it is made based on the famous painting—Monalisa's smile.

Here is a video that is about a paper-cutting tutorial. Follow the instructions and you are able to make a simple but beautiful paper-cut by yourself.

 

I love such kinds of Chinese culture because they are folk arts and purely handmade, which reflect Chinese people's wisdom and ingenuity.