中国剪纸Chinese-paper-cutting.doc

Chinese paper cutting
Chinese paper cutting, or Jianzhi, is a kind of folk art which uses scissors or knives to cut papers for decoration or other folk activities. Having a wide mass base in China, paper cutting has been involved in the social life for different peoples and has presented multiple social values in cognition, amusement and communication etc.
In 2006, Jianzhi was enlisted into the first group of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the State Council, and it was listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists in 2009.
Origin：
The art of paper-cutting in China may date back to the second century C.E., since paper was invented by Cai in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. As paper became more affordable, paper-cutting became one of the most important types of Chinese folk art. Later, this art form spread to other parts of the world, with different regions adopting their own cultural styles. Because the cut-outs are often used to decorate doors and windows, they are sometimes referred to as paper-cut for window, window flowers or window paper-cuts. People glued the papercuts to the exterior of windows, so the light from the inside would shine through the negative space of the cutout. Usually, the artworks are made of red paper, as red is associated with festivities and happiness in Chinese culture, but others colored were also used. Normally paper-cutting artwork is used on festivals like Spring Festival, weddings and childbirth. Papercuts always symbolize luck and happiness.
Chinese paper-cutting originated from ancient activities of worshipping ancestors and gods, and is a traditional part of Chinese culture. According to archaeological records, it originates from the 6th century, although some believe that its history could be traced as far back as the Warring States period (around 3 BC), long before the paper was invented. At that time, people used other thin materials, like leaves, silver foil, silk and even leather, to carve hollowed patterns. Later, when paper was invented, people realized that this material was easy to cut, store and discard, and paper became the major material for this type of artwork. During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1912), this artistry witnessed its most prosperous period. For over a thousand years, people (mainly women) have been making paper-cuts as part a leisure activity. They created different type of paper-cutting and shared and passed this traditional craftsmanship to their children, so that this traditional art style became more and more popular and is still practiced to this day.
In ancient times, human beings have discovered and used images as an artistic method of image representation, and then created the artistic language of engraving and air through various materials. This is in many primitive society color pottery and rock painting, Shang Zhou bronzes, Han dynasty picture stone art, reflected ancient artificer to use this artistic technique consummation. Today's folk paper-cuts are strikingly consistent with the style and exterior features of the paper, which fully explain the inheritance and continuity of their relationship.
The Chinese imperial concubine holding the baby, playing with the window, skillfully cutting the Paulownia Leaves according to the window screen. Use thin slice material to cut carve flower, before have paper already be like Han dynasty gold and silver foil engraved flower. But the exact cut, of course, is after paper. Our country is the country that invented paper, already began to make paper in the western Han dynasty. At this point, the use of paper for cutting out the hollow out performance in accordance with the paper-cut art required by the folk custom has been generated among the people. However, the earliest papercut was found in the north Korean period (386 A.D. 581), which was unearthed near the flaming mountain of Turpan in Xinjiang. These papercuts, the way of repeated folding and the non-occlusion of the image, are very similar to today's folk paper cutting paper.
When paper-cutting passed down to the Tang dynasty, the skills of handcraft became mature. Paper-cutting was not only a kind of handcraft, but also a piece of artwork, as it could express the idea through the pattern. In Ming and Qing dynasty, paper-cutting experienced its peak development. Folk paper-cutting spread to a wider range and had abundant means of artistic expression. Paper-cutting was used to decorate doors, windows and walls to show happiness and festival.
Classification：
Paper-cutting is one of the oldest and the most popular folk arts in China. It can be geographically divided into a southern and a northern style. The southern style, represented by works from Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province and Le Qing in Zhejiang Province, features ingenious and beautiful designs, exquisite carving and interesting shapes. The northern style, mainly from Yu Xian and Feng Ning in Hebei Province and best represented by works from northern Shaanxi, features exaggerated shapes, vigorousness, vivid depictions and diverse patterns.
The style of window paper-cuts is usually free, except the flower pattern on the corner. The theme of window paper-cuts has a wide range, the most popular of which is based on the stories of traditional Chinese opera. As most buyers are farmers, the content of window paper-cut usually describe farming, spinning, fishing and poultry farming.
1. To pattern classification: paper cutting patterns for people, animals, characters, with 62, flowers, fruits and vegetables, insects, landscapes and so on, and proposed the addition of the world's rare, modern class two, a total of 11 categories.
2. Category: China paper-cut meaning characteristics, the performance of the theme implies, so the basis of meaning, which can be divided into: blessing, cowardly evil, evil, exhortation, warning, interest and other seven categories.
3. To use classification: some people think that the classification of paper cutting should be based on the use, which can be divided into:
(1) decorative affixed to its substrate for appreciation or increase its beauty of the paper-cut, such as window;
(2) custom categories: for worship, prayer, a disaster, cowardly evil, poison paper-cut, such as door;
(3) draft type: used for stencil printing, printing and dyeing paper cutting, such as embroidery manuscript;
(4) design class: can increase the beauty of things, or can promote its paper-cut, such as film or television titles
4. Other classification methods: others think that should be divided into three categories: (1) all paper scissors to do with the color window color draft (like flowers), known as paper cutting.
(2) any work that is cut and pasted with color paper should be called "cut and paste"
(3) those who cut and then fill the works of art should be called shear.
5. To paper and production classification: there are paper and production classification, more for teaching purposes. It will be divided into two types of paper cutting, eight kinds:
First class: monochrome paper-cut. Is to use a colored paper to cut and subdivided into do:
(1) jackknife, soon after the paper folded cut, after the opening of a pattern or fonts available.
(2) Diego scissors, the number of overlapping sheets of paper together to nail down and then cut the script, number of his prints.
Second categories: complex color paper-cut, also known as colored paper-cut. color paper is based on the number of sub cut after cut collage mapping; or with white paper cut into a script, and then dyed fill a variety of colors; or the first cut on the main board, lined with white and then dyed to fill a variety of colors can be subdivided:
(1) lining color class, first made of monochrome paper-cut method of cutting diagram, and then to color paper as a lining.
(2) color, monochrome paper-cut way to cut the main version and the second version of the image, and then another cut paper tape mounted in the main version of the site needs; or colors required to color the drawings of colored paper, overlap with the nail, and then along the way the draft line cut, and chose to take a main version. Paste mounted on the substrate, and then the rest of the Tim posted on the main board.
(3) color, which are colored paper cut into all parts of the image, and then posted in accordance with drawings mounted on backing paper; or see the different colors of paper overlapping clinch, and then cut into a script, kiss the fight on backing paper.
(4) dyeing, that is, the white paper or lighten colored paper which is easy to be impregnated is cut into various images, and then dyed the required color gradually; or the paper is dyed first, and then cut into an image
(5) coloring categories, namely black paper or dark paper cut out the main version, mounted on a white paper, then the script a variety of colors; or cut with the white theme image, laminating and then fill in the required color dyeing; the first fill and then cut to do so.
(6) magnetic paper-cut, magnetic paper-cut in the process of manual production and machine production points, manual paper-cut and scissors and engraved points
As for the two methods of paper cutting, the main method should be chosen.

Symmetry：
There are basic cut-outs, consisting of a single image, and symmetrical designs, that are usually created by some folding over a proportioned crease, and then cutting a shape, so that when unfolded, it forms a symmetrical design. Chinese paper cuttings are usually symmetrical. The paper cut outs are usually in an even number series of 2, 4, 24 etc.
Uses：
Today, paper cuttings are chiefly decorative. They liven up walls, windows, doors, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns in homes and are also used on presents or are given as gifts themselves. Paper cut-outs pasted on or near entrances are supposed to bring good luck. Paper cuttings used to be used as patterns, especially for embroidery and lacquer work. Papercuts are used by younger generation as a decoration for their kits and books.

Paper-cutting was and is mostly used as a decoration, or an aesthetic way to express people’s hopes, gratitude and other emotions. With a pair of scissors cutting through a piece of red paper, the paper-cuttings are endowed with a simple but exaggerated beauty. The vividly depicted paper-cuttings have different meanings. Some express the wish for a harvest or a wealthy life, such as paper-cuttings of a golden harvest, thriving domestic animals, good fortunes, a surplus year or a carp jumping over a dragon gate (a traditional Chinese story, indicating a leap towards a better life); some depict animals and plants, such as paper-cuttings of polecats, lions, jade rabbits (animal from a Chinese legend), pomegranates and peonies; some illustrate legendary figures or scenes from traditional myths or stories, such as paper-cuttings of the Yellow Emperor, The cowherd and weaving girl and 24 stories of filial piety; and others show people’s gratitude towards life, such as paper-cuttings of a doll with two twisted hair on each side of the head, fish swimming through lotus and dishes. (a strong passion for life can be easily seen from the paper-cuttings of the women)

The most famous paper-cutting characters in Chinese are “福” ( f ú , meaning 'lucky') and “囍” ( x ǐ , meaning 'double happiness'). Even to this day, Chinese people love to hang paper-cutting of these two characters at their doors. “福” is usually used during the Chinese New Year’s Festival, indicating people’s wishes for a lucky year. “囍” can often be seen at the windows or door of newly-weds.

Process：
There are two methods of manufacture: one uses scissors, the other uses knives. In the scissor method, several pieces of paper — up to eight — are fastened together. The motif is then cut with sharp, pointed scissors. The first step is to fold. Fold a piece of squared paper along the diagonal into a triangle, and fold into another triangle. Now we can start to cut. Window blossoms can be designed with irregular patterns. First cut an arch which will be the outline of the petals. After that use a pair of scissors to cut different kinds of curved lines and saw tooth. A half heart shape can also be cut. The last step is to opened with light touch to avoid tear the fine connections. Lightly flat it, you will find a beautiful symmetrical pattern from a random cut.

Knife cuttings are fashioned by putting several layers of paper on a relatively soft foundation consisting of a mixture of tallow and ashes. Following a pattern, the artist cuts the motif into the paper with a sharp knife which is usually held vertically. Skilled crafters can even cut out different drawings freely without stopping. The paper was carved using a carving knife instead of using scissors. In the windows, the bright colors combined with light to form lovely patterns and shadows. At first, a carving mold should be designed, and then the lines of the pattern will be drawn. After that, the mold is put on a stack of paper and different kinds of knives are used to carve along the lines. The last step is to color the paper. Dyes are mixed with liquor and are brushed onto white paper. This procedure is called “smoking sample”. The wetted carved mold is put on white paper and smoked with a candle. Before the copying machine was invented, the paper cut artists copied their carving mold using this technique.

中国剪纸艺术
中国剪纸是一种用剪刀或刻刀在纸上剪刻花纹，用于装点生活或配合其他民俗活动的民间艺术。在中国，剪纸具有广泛的群众基础，交融于各族人民的社会生活，是各种民俗活动的重要组成部分。其传承赓续的视觉形象和造型格式，蕴涵了丰富的文化历史信息，表达了广大民众的社会认以、道德观念、实践经验、生活理想和审美情趣，具有认知、教化、表意、抒情、娱乐、交往等多重社会价值。
2006年5月20日，剪纸艺术遗产经国务院批准列入第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录。2009年9月28日至10月2日举行的联合国教科文组织保护非物质文化遗产政府间委员会第四次会议上，中国申报的中国剪纸项目入选“人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录”。
（百度百科英文词条）
起源：
剪纸的艺术在中国可以追溯到公元二世纪,中国东汉蔡伦发明了纸。随着纸更便宜,剪纸成为中国民间艺术最重要的一个类型。这种艺术形式传播到世界的各个地方,不同地区采用有文化风格。因为常用于装饰门窗,他们有时也被称为窗花。通常用红色制作，红色在中国文化中用来庆祝节日代表着幸福，其他颜色也会使用。通常剪纸艺术品用于节日像春节,婚礼和满月。剪纸一直象征着好运和幸福。
中国剪纸起源于古代崇拜祖先和神灵的活动,是一个传统中国文化的一部分。根据考古记录,它源于6世纪,尽管有些人认为它的历史可以追溯到早在战国时期(公元前3)早于纸发明的时候。当时,人们使用其它材料,像树叶,银箔,甚至丝绸和皮革来雕刻镂空。之后,当纸被发明,人们意识到这种材料很容易切,存储和丢弃,所以纸成为这种类型的艺术品的主要材料。在明清时期(1368 - 1912),这个艺术到达最繁荣的时期。一千多年来,人们(主要是女性)一直把剪纸作为一种休闲活动，他们创造了不同的剪纸并且把这项传统技艺传给他们的孩子,所以,这种传统艺术风格变得更加流行并延续至今。
远古时代，人类就已经发现和运用了以影像作为形象表记的艺术手法，并继而创造了在各种材料上镂刻、透空的艺术语言。这在诸多的原始社会彩陶岩画、商周青铜器、汉画像石艺术中，都体现了远古艺人运用这一艺术手法的完善。今天的民间剪纸与之在造型方式和外部特征极其明显的一致，充分说明他们之间的传承和延续关系。
“汉妃抱娃窗前耍，巧剪桐叶照窗纱。”利用薄片材料剪刻镂花，在有纸以前就已经不乏，如汉代的金银箔刻花。但确切意义上的剪纸，当然是在有纸以后。我国是发明纸的国家，早在西汉时代已开始造纸。至此，利用纸便于剪刻镂空的性能符合民俗所需的剪纸艺术，随之在民众之中产生。然而，目前发现最早的剪纸实物，是新疆吐鲁番火焰山附近出土的北朝时期（公元386 — 581年）五幅团花剪纸。这几幅剪纸，采用重复折叠的方式和形象互不遮挡的处理手法，与今天的民间团花剪纸极其相似。（来源：中华五千年网）
剪纸到唐朝时期手工技能变得成熟，剪纸不仅是一种手艺,也是一件艺术品,因为它可以通过艺术来表达想法。在明清时期,剪纸经历了高度发展，民间剪纸传播更广泛并且有丰富的艺术表现手法。剪纸庆祝节日时被用来装饰门、窗户和墙壁。
分类：
剪纸是中国最古老的和最流行的民间艺术。它可以在地理上分为南方和北方风格。南方风格代表有江苏扬州和浙江乐清,有着巧妙的特性，美丽的设计,精美的雕刻还有有趣的形状。北方风格代表有河北蔚县和丰宁，陕北的作品最为突出，夸张的形状,朝气蓬勃生动的描绘和多样化的手法。
窗花剪纸风格多样，除了角落上的花朵图案。窗花剪纸有广泛的主题,其中最受欢迎的是中国传统歌剧的故事。像大多数买家是农民,窗口剪纸的内容通常描述农业、纺织业、渔业和家禽养殖。
1. 以纹样分类:剪纸的纹样大致可以为：人物、鸟兽、文字、器用、鳞