Main Features

Chinese papercuts are rich in content. The auspicious designs symbolize good luck and the avoidance of evil. The child, lotus and bottle gourd designs suggest a family with a large number of children and grandchildren. Domestic birds, livestock, fruit, fish and worms are also familiar objects depicted by Chinese farmers in papercuts.

Papercuts are mainly used as decorations and patterns for religious and ornamental purposes. Papercuts can also be used as ornaments on gates, windows, walls, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns. They are still widely used today at important festivals, especially during the New Year. It is very important to put papercuts on the entrance gates for good luck for the family. Papercuts can also serve as presents or as decorations or gifts and sacrificial offerings to the ancestors or gods.

Paper and scissors are the usual materials used for making papercuts, but sometimes an engraving knife is also used. Papercuts are all hand-made. There are two common ways to make papercuts. One method uses scissors, and the other, a knife.

Major Types

Papercuts made in different areas have different characteristics.

Shaanxi window papercuts are simple and bold. Guangling papercuts fromShanxi Provinceare painted with many colors and portray opera figures. TheNanjingpapercuts ofJiangsu Provinceare simple, robust and skillful. The Yixing papercuts ofJiangxi Provinceare magnificent and neat. The Nantong papercuts of Jiangsu Province are delicate and beautiful. TheFoshanpapercuts ofGuangdong Provinceare colorful and decorative and utilize a variety of production techniques. The Gaomi papercuts ofShandong Provinceare delicate and fine.

Ⅰ. Papercuts in Wei County

Declarer：Wei County,Hebei Province

Wei County papercuts from Hebei Province have a history of more than 200 years. The papercuts are dyed and therefore more colorful. They feature themes of opera figures, legendary stories, harvesting, auspicious animals, happiness, and longevity.