One pair of scissors, one piece of colored paper, one creative imagination and you have traditional Chinese paper cutting.
From simple and humble beginnings, Chinese paper cuttings bring to life a colorful world of interesting people, beautiful flowers, and lovely animals, as well as the delights of nature.
While simple on the surface, the ancient folk art of paper cutting is actually quite sophisticated. Rich in beauty, history, and meaning, paper cuttings are fascinating to behold and quite clever in their approach.
Of all the types of paper cuttings that exist, probably the most popular is that of the Chinese big character “Fu”. You can find this character pasted everywhere during Chinese New Year, from the doors of homes to the windows of shopping malls.
So just why exactly is this particular paper cutting so popular? Well, in Chinese, the word “Fu” means good luck or good fortune, and represents wealth and prosperity. Here, you can see that one word contains “blessings or fortune ”.
Embedded in the word “Fu” are two fish playing. Fish are a must-have during Chinese New Year, and also carry a good connotation. Pronounced “Yu” in Chinese, fish represent a surplus in the coming days – whether it be more food, more children, or more wealth. In essence, the “Fu” character brings blessings and Fish means you live your life like fish, being contented with surplus for everything. What a nice combination for this poster!
Paper cutting exhibition in Hong Kong
A paper cutting exhibition recently on display in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong, featured the work of a young lady named Li Yunxia. Li inherited the technique from her mother, who was born in Luochan county, Shaanxi province in China.
Li Yunxia’s paper cutting entitled “Life” impressed judges enough to earn her first prize in an international paper cutting competition.
Another work, called “Twin Boys,” offers a depiction of a mom smiling with delight at her newborn twin boys. Bursting with color and imagination, the artwork includes a hen and her new little ones, as they also come to life.
In a paper cutting depicting breastfeeding and nourishment, we find a mother with the Chinese word for spring on her head. Full of hope for better days, the mother is expecting spring to come, and with it, the blossoming of flowers and the re-emergence of life after a winter of inactivity.
Our final paper cutting tells the ancient story of a newly appointed official, who proudly holds the seal of his recently appointed position. Riding astride his horse, he turns his head to greet the birds, who seem to be congratulating him on his new job.
While the ancient Chinese folk art of paper cutting is very simple, it’s also very philosophical, with many messages being conveyed through this art form. It embodies ancient wisdom and a sort of fashionable charm, bringing to life the creative imaginings of artists in the form of people, nature, and animals.
Today, as the importance and significance of this art form have come to be realized, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has listed paper cutting in the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity,”
It is through simplicity that these artists have shown the world how a pure and uncomplicated form of art can stimulate inspiration and the imagination, while bringing a sense of joy and wonder to us all.
