Art in lot embodiment is a matter of " beauty is in the eye of the bystander ", but no one can deny that Chinese paper cuts are delicate, intricate and - uppermost all - one works of art.
Comparable many things in China, paper cutting ( Jianzhi ) is steeped in tradition and ancient culture; this intricate craft represents the stout artistic and precise nature of the nation. Archeologists have been able to describe the tradition of paper cutting to as far back as the 6th century; the oldest continuing paper cut is over 1500 years old, and was construct in Xinjiang, China. However, the art is judging to predate that time by several hundred years.
Paper itself was a precious business at this time; undoubted scarcely could the lower classes dig paper cutting as a style of entertainment when the practice began. Oftentimes symbolic in nature, paper cuttings were ofttimes used in religious ceremonies as decorations for sacrificial offerings. They were and buried with the dead or burned in ceremonies at funerals. More cause for paper cuttings were as patterns, principally for embroidery and lacquer work. However, the largest use was, and still is, as decorations.
Mostly, only nobles and royalty could afford to entertain themselves with paper cutting. In fact, it became such a valued form of art that ladies of the court were expected to produce these intricate paper cuts in order to be judged as a valuable bride. As paper became more accessible, however, women in almost every class were judged on their ability to provide paper cuts as a way to decorate the home.
As " spring scrolls ", strips of red paper with well wishing on them, began being posted on doors for the Chinese New Year during the Tang dynasty, the popularity of paper cutting grew. The cuttings started being used as " window flowers ", red paper cutouts that decorated the windows, walls and ceilings of homes in Northern China. Red was used most often, because it is considered a " lucky " color.
No subject matter was left out; the only thing that stopped someone from creating the art they wanted was their own level of skill. During holidays, the symbols used depended on the holiday itself. Cranes spread their red paper wings and wished long life on birthdays; gods blessed the Chinese New Year; harvest festivals were filled with scenes to match the local folklore.
On any normal day, one could walk down the lane to see flowers and birds, pets and farm animals. If a woman was especially talented, the cutouts might include intricate scenes from legends. Later, those scenes grew to include the picturesque countryside, more modern influences and hints of Western art.
Then and now, true paper cutting has never been made by machines. One of the reasons for its high value is the fact that it is a highly technical art form. Every design must be a single, continuous piece - unbroken. Even in complex designs, such as landscape scenes, each part links to another to connect the integral parts of the picture.
Paper cuts are created with either scissors or knives, although the knives are actually a set that might include blades, punches and chisels with different shapes. Master artisans prefer to use scissors, making one or two pieces at a time by snipping small portions out.
With knife cuttings, the paper can be stacked up to fifty sheets at a time. The papers are placed on a clean, floured surface specially made to prevent dulling the blade, and then a pattern is put on top of the papers. The papers and pattern are nailed or stitched together, and then the delicate work begins. The cutter must then make a consistent pattern through all the sheets, removing each cut away with a pin.
Although paper cutting is used in several cultures now, the intricacy and depth of detail are inherent only in the Chinese form, and only the Chinese produce the full scenes depicted in this traditional art form.
