Introduction to Chinese paper cutting

When I first visited China as a tourist I was attracted by the bright red color of the paper cuts sold at the souvenir stalls around Yu Garden. At first I thought it was something to put in a frame and hang on a wall, so I was very surprised to see doors and windows of Chinese houses adorned with them.

Souvenir shop at Yu Garden

The paper cut I bought

I started wondering about the paper cutting`s meaning and origin, and that`s when I came across a charming book titled “Zhao Quan – The Paper-Cut of Yuxian County”, the first volume of the collection “Craftsman”, which features, as the name suggests, famous craftsmen representative of different Chinese folk arts. Composed of five chapters, the book introduces the life of the paper cutting master Zhao Quan, the tools he uses, the process of paper cutting and his works. The book is published only in Chinese unfortunately, but it`s full of inviting pictures that made it accessible even to me with my limited knowledge of Chinese.

The pictures below are some shots of the book.

Before reading this book I thought that the paper cuts come only in red, and feature only auspicious symbols, but actually they can be very colorful and cover nearly all topics, from flowers, birds, animals, legendary people, to figures in classic novels. Paper cut can be found throughout China in various ethnic groups, therefore motifs vary greatly and depend on the region of origin, but generally they are classified in two main genres, the northern style and the southern style, each influenced by their geography and local culture.

As one of the most classic folk arts in China and integral element of everyday life, paper cut was put in 2009 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

It`s difficult to tell the exact period when the art of paper-cutting originated in China. Excavations at the ruins of the ancient city of Gaochang in Turpan, Xinjiang, unearthed paper cuts showing a pair of horses and a pair of monkeys dating back 1500 years to the period of the Northern and Southern dynasties. They are among the earliest examples of cut paper to have been found. 

Actually, the cultural implication and art forms of paper cut can be traced back before the invention of the paper to pre-historical societies, when people used different materials such as gold, leather, silk and even leaves, to carve and engrave patterns.

But as the logic shows, paper cutting needs paper so, strictly speaking, paper cutting origins should be placed after AD 105, the year in which the Chinese invented papermaking (even though recent archaeological investigations place the actual invention of papermaking some 200 years earlier). The early paper cutting was probably associated with religious rites, and only gradually it developed into a form of art. 

As a cultural carrier of the original Chinese philosophy, paper cut is embodied in all aspects of folk custom and culture, and the uses to which it was put were many. The first use was mainly decorative; paper cut were pasted on windows (hence the name Window Flowers), ceilings, doors and lanterns. Another use of paper cuts was related to other folk crafts, as it was used as guide for woodcarvers and embroiderers, and as stencils for transferring color to lacquer ware. The paper cut can be also found during festivities (weddings, birthdays and other ceremonies), or in form of prayers (invoking the rain, warding off the devil, etc.).

Nowadays Chinese paper cuts are still used as decoration, especially during the Spring Festival and wedding days.

There is a paper cut design for each occasion: during the Chinese New Year, the character “Fu” (福, good fortune) is pasted on the door, at a weddings the character “Xi” (囍, double happiness) is a must on the newlywed’s door, and on seniors` birthday paper cuttings with the character “Shou” (寿, longevity) are often seen.

“Fu” (福)

“Xi” (囍)

“Shou” (寿)

Paper cutting is pure handwork, but due to the modern industrial production the traditional sense of paper cutting is facing grave challenges and its values, handed down from generation to generation, are changing. Nowadays unfortunately it became more and more difficult to find authentic handmade paper cutting. 

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to paper cuts! In a different post I will talk about the paper cutting technique and style typical of Yuxian County.

Oil paper umbrellas

When was the last time you saw a paper umbrella (except the one in your cocktail on Saturday night)?

I used to associate bright red oil paper umbrellas with China, but since I moved to Shanghai I still hadn`t seen any. Then, during a recent trip to Suzhou (that will be featured in my next post), I finally spotted some. But that wasn`t what I was looking for unfortunately, it was just a cheap souvenir for tourists, like those you can find online or in every China town around the world.

To find the best oil paper umbrellas we have to travel all the way to Luzhou, a city in Sichuan Province (the one famous for spicy food and pandas).

The origins of oil paper umbrella are still a mystery, they might be dating back to more than one thousand years to the Tang Dynasty, but there is no doubt about the fact they have been invented in South China, where, because of the wet weather, they were a necessity.

The history of Luzhou’s oil paper umbrella can be traced back more than 400 years to the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and up to the 1970`s two third of the oil paper umbrellas sold in China used to be manufactured here.

Luzhou’s oil paper umbrellas enjoy an excellent reputation, not only because people believed that they protect against bad luck, but also because they are beautifully crafted and very resistant. Yes, you can walk under the rain holding an oil paper umbrella and you won`t neither get wet, nor struck by lightning, since no metal is being used.

Luzhou’s oil paper umbrellas are made of 100% natural materials, mainly different kind of bamboos and bark paper sourced locally, making it an environmentally sustainable craft.

Luzhou`s Red oil paper umbrellas with the Intangible Cultural Heritage logo

The craft work of making paper umbrella is nearly a full manual process, the only tools used are simple self-produced tools, and it`s quite interesting to watch. More than hundred steps are involved in making these umbrellas, which include splitting bamboos, drilling, threading, paper cutting, gluing, sun drying, etc.

During this process up to 2000 stitches can be made 

Oil paper umbrellas drying outside a workshop

Since the process is so lengthy and complex, I won`t describe it this time. 
Instead, I found this

CCTV`s video (in English) 

you can enjoy. It`s a little bit slow, so don`t expect an action movie, but you will be amazed by the manual skills of the manufacturers.

Until the mid-19th century, when the lithographic printing technology allowed introducing diverse colors to the umbrellas, Luzhou’s oil paper umbrellas came only in red, which in China is a symbol of wealth and good omen.

Nowadays we can find umbrellas hand-painted with images inspired by Chinese folklore, such as “auspicious dragon and phoenix” (seen in the video), “peacock spreading feathers” and “fairy splashing flowers.”

Oil paper umbrellas displayed in a workshop

We can certainly say that Luzhou’s oil paper umbrellas combine gracefully both practical function and artistic appeal thanks to a successful union between traditional crafts and creative innovation, making them valuable collectible items.

If you live in Shanghai, next time it rains keep your eyes peeled, you might spot me walking around holding an oil paper umbrella!

Bai Tie-Dyeing

You might start thinking I`m obsessed with textile dyeing techniques…

The truth is I`m not obsessed, but it`s really hot in Shanghai lately and the blue and white colors of this kind of crafts give me a fresh and cool feeling like when sitting by the ocean.

But now let`s get back to the Bai tie-dyeing.

The Bai (which means “white” in Chinese) are a minority ethnic group living mostly in southwest China's Yunnan Province, more specifically in the Bai Autonomous Prefecture, where the textile tie-dyeing technique is passed on from generation to generation.

The Bai Tie dyeing industry in Zhoucheng village is 200 hundred years old, and so famous that in China the place is known as the “National Tie-dyeing hometown”.

The concept behind tie-dyeing is basically to prevent some areas of the cloth from absorbing the dye, which is achieved through tying parts of the fabric using knots, threads, etc. The color of the parts reached by the dye reaches changes, but the restricted parts stay untouched, creating an unlimited variety of patterns. 

Tie-dyeing process consists of the three parts of tying, dyeing and rinsing before hanging the fabric out to dry.

The fabric, usually a white cotton cloth, is tied, twisted, folded and sewn into various patterns by hand, and it could take several days to prepare the required pattern. Multicolored pieces need to be tied and dyed twice, imagine how complicated the procedure can be!

The tying process

The tied white cloth is soaked into the dye pot and taken out for dry; the procedure is repeated twice a day and continued for seven days.

The dye is made of woad leaves, which are fermented in a pit until they are indigo in color. In Chinese traditional medicine is believed that this plant has anti-inflammatory and detoxing effects, beneficial to health. Its qualities would also make Bai tie-dyed garments and bedding comfortable to wear and soothing to the skin, especially in hot weather.

The stitches are then carefully removed one by one, the cloth is rinsed and hung out to dry.

Before removing the stitches

The more than 1,000 tie-dye design patterns reflect Bai history, culture and customs, and include flowers, plants, bees, butterflies, fish, folk characters and symbols, most of which are wishes for auspiciousness and good luck.

Fish pattern

Complicated flower and geometrical pattern

The manual skills developed over time and passed down from generation to generation make each work a unique masterpiece! It`s really amazing!

It`s still boiling hot out there, but I feel refreshed! What about you? :)

China`s intangible Cultural Heritage

In my previous post about maple resin dyeing technique I mentioned China National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. But what is intangible cultural heritage? Well, roughly it covers the oral traditions, languages, performing arts, social practices, rituals, and traditional craftsmanship associated with a particular social group, generally passed down orally. In this article I will give you an overview of what is Intangible Cultural Heritage and what elements are included in the List of China`s Intangible Cultural Heritage.  

The UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Intangible cultural heritage was promoted by UNESCO as a counterpart to the World Heritage that focuses mainly on tangible aspects of culture, and aims at safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. According to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the intangible cultural heritage is defined as 

“the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage”.  

 Among many others, the following elements are inscribed on the List of China

Chinese shadow puppetry

Wooden movable-type printing

Art of Chinese seal engraving

Regong arts

Etc.

 

Xi`An Shadow Puppets

China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List

The early 1950’s, when the Chinese government started investigating the minority cultural heritages in China and taking measures to protect and nurture a large number of traditional arts and crafts industry, are considered the beginning of the heritage protection in China.

In 2006, 2008 and 2011 the state council of China announced three batches of national level intangible cultural heritage list, a total of 1,219 inscribed in it (YE Peng, ZHOU Yao-lin. The Development and Trends Of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List).

Among the fine arts and crafts list we can find:

Tibetan Thangka

Kite-Making Techniques

Xiangdong Nuo mask

Tie-Dyeing Techniques of Bai Ethnic Group

Paper cuts

And many others

Chinese Zodiac Papercut

On this blog we will mainly introduce arts and crafts from the UNESCO List and the China National List. Making it known to the public, showing our support and appreciation we hope to contribute somehow to keep alive intangible cultural heritage.

Don`t miss the next post to find out more about fascinating techniques and unique crafts!

For further information about the Intangible Heritage Lists visit the UNESCO site.