Paper Cutting Styles from Around the World: China
- Kristen Newcomer
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Known as "Jianzhi," Chinese papercutting has grown to be one of the most popular---and longest standing-- folk arts in China. The invention of paper is often attributed to a Chinese Court official named Cai Lun during the Han Dynasty in 105 A.D. However, the archeological evidence indicates that papermaking evolved hundreds of years before. The exact date or inventor cannot be deduced, but the earliest fragments of paper found in China have been dated to 179-141 BC. Rather than being the true inventor of paper, Cai Lun's contribution might have been improving the skill of papermaking by fixing a 'recipe' for papermaking in a more systematic and scientific manner. Cai Lun added pulp from tree bark and hemp ends which resulted in the large-scale manufacture and worldwide spread of paper. For a more complete history of paper-making, see the blog post "Quick History of Paper-Making."
The art of cutting Chinese paper appeared as early as 420-589 A.D., during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and later became a serious art form during the Tang Dynasty from 816 to 907 A.D. Originally, the paper cuts were used as sacrificial offerings to deities, ancestors, and decreased relatives. Later, paper cuts were used in homes to decorate doors, windows, walls, ceilings, lamps, fans, and even embroidered fabric. On May 20, 2006 papercutting was officially listed as one of the earliest intangible cultural heritages of China by the Shanxi Culture Department. In 2009, papercutting was put on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity.
Before the invention of paper, Chinese people used leaves, silver or gold foil, silk, and even leather to decorate shrines and later windows, with similar negative-space patterns carved out that were later used with paper. Papercutting reached a developmental peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1912) where even the imperial family utilized papercutting to decorate the Forbidden City with paper cuts during the emperor's wedding ceremony. Also during the Ming dynasty, papercutting was sometimes used as illustrations in books and even to disseminate news and information to the general public. They were often paired with a short poem or verse.
Many Chinese paper cuts also frequently feature Chinese characters. Some common characters include ‘福 (fú)’ which represents blessing and ‘喜 (xǐ)’ which means happiness. It is worthy of note that the character ‘喜’ is almost always cut as ‘囍’, and used during weddings to represent double the happiness. The Chinese characters often have meanings that represent ordinary people’s aspirations for life. Under the influence of Daoism culture, paper cutting is related to nature and cosmology. Circular motifs known as tuánhuā (团花) often feature symmetrical floral or geometric patterns. These circular motifs embody the Daoist principle of Yin-Yang balance and symbolize cosmic harmony and wholeness.
There are two major methods for constructing Chinese paper cuts: one method uses scissors and the other uses a sharp knife. Both typically cut through several layers of paper together. Skilled artisans can cut different designs freehand without following a pattern. Some artists fold the paper layers in half or more to cut a symmetrical style.
Three major paper cut styles have evolved in China, each style being called a "school." The South School style features decorative and elegant designs with varied themes. It evolved in Foshan in the Guangdong Province and Fujian Province. Flower patterns of Putian are the most famous styles of the South School.
The Jiangzhe School originated from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in Eastern China, and is also represented by works from Yangzhou in the Jiangsu Province and Yueqing in the Zhejiang Province. Ingenious and exquisite carvings and interesting shapes, often featuring nature themes of flowers, birds, fish, and fruits are characteristic of the Jiangzhe School style.
The North School style is best represented by works from northern Shaanxi, but also includes works from Yuxian and Fengning in the Hebei Province. This style tends to be more simplistic with symmetrical designs focusing on abstract shapes, animals, and patterns.
Papercutting waned after the Qing Dynasty. The traditional art of paper cutting became less popular as urbanization grew into the 20th century. However, a new cultural movement in China in the 1930s started studying Chinese folklore. They extensively collected folk paper cuttings. Papercutting continued even after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, with modern artists portraying various professions and industries, and themes such as children, sports, acrobatics, and dance becoming popular subjects.
Today there has been a resurgence of paper cutting in China, although many artists have evolved beyond the traditional folk motifs and style. Modern artists continue to enrich the forms and content of Chinese folk decorative arts by integrating mixed media, redefining paper cutting for large-scale installations, and incorporating other avant-garde concepts. Many modern artists explore themes of cultural identity and globalization.
This video from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art website looks at the generational aspect of Chinese papercutting. Often the interest and skill in papercutting is passed down from parents to children, generation after generation. As such, the art of Chinese papercutting is truly a rich cultural heritage of China.
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