As an art, folk papercuts imitate nature in the shape of characters, symbols and other designs. Various paper objects were buried with the deceased or burned with other symbolic figures of the dead. This practice is still observed in some parts of China.
Paper and scissors are the usual materials utilized, but sometimes an engraving knife is used. Papercuts are all hand-made. There are two common practices for making papercuts: scissors- and knife-cutting techniques. In the first technique, about eight paper strips are fastened together to form a pattern. The artist cuts the motif with a pair of sharp, pointed scissors to attain the desired pattern. Knife cutting, on the other hand, is where the artist puts several layers of paper on a relatively soft foundation consisting of a mixture of tallow and ashes. The artist then holds a sharp knife vertically and cuts the motif out of the paper by following a pattern. More papercuts are made with the knife-cutting technique rather than scissors since it is less time consuming.
In Chinese folk culture, the art ofpaper cuttinghas a significant status in folk activities. Professionalpaper-cutting craftsmen have been around as early as theSouthern Song Dynasty(1127-1279). Papercutting was once a handicraft that every native girl mastered. Paper-cut craftsmanship was often used to select brides-to-be. Currently, papercutting craftsmanship is mostly evident among countrywomen.
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