Folk paper-cut in the Central Plains
7 min readThe Central Plains located in the prosperous area of Chinese traditionalculture, is the birthplace of Confucian culture and the important area of theprogress of the Chinese civilization.
Because under the influence of orthodox traditional cultural thoughts, thereshows a mature national culture and art language of this region and forms a regional paper-cut art characteristicsrepresented by Yuxian county folk paper-cut of Hebei and Shandong Peninsula folk paper-cut.
①Yuxian county folk paper-cut of Hebei
Yuxian located in the northwest of Hebei Province is one of the important birthplace of Chinese northern ancestors.
Due to the unique geographical location and cultural background, there decides Yuxian people have the folk beliefs and customs with both Han and northern minority features, but also creates its folk paper-cut art language of unique local characteristics. Yuxian folk paper-cut has a history of over 500 years, and it differs from other folk paper-cut that is mostly made by scissors, but graver is the main tool of Yuxian paper-cut. Its material isthe thin and flexible rice paper, and the works also need to be dyed bright and brillant colors after engraved. The basic production process is design modeling-fumigate sample pattern-batch engraving-batch dyeing. Yuxian paper-cut is a kind of incised-based stippling paper-cut forms, which has been known for its elaborate knife skills and bright color. Paper-cut artist Wang Laoshang is the outstanding representative of this region.
Yuxian paper-cut is the art developed directly from window of the building, and the windows of Yuxian are generally large windows of top beam and clamp column. Its modeling form mainly includes two windows, four windows, striped screen window, window in window, sister window, etc. In addition, the pane’s layout also has various forms, while the windows provide a very good performance stage for Yuxianpaper-cut. The paper-cut is pasted on white hemp paper of window lattice, and people pay attention to practice but also the pursue of beauty.
Stippling grilles is famous at homeand abroad for its knife skills and gorgeous color, thus expresses a kind of festive atmosphere, so paper-cut isgenerally called paper-cut for window decoration by Yuxian people. PekingOpera mask paper-cut is one of the most representative contents of Yuxian paper-cut works, and the emergence of Peking Opera mask can be said to have a meaning of landmark in the history of Yuxian paper-cut. Yuxian paper-cut has the bold and direct stippling staining on the expression of color, which is not bounded by color and with its own unique aesthetical standard to dye the paper-cut, it expresses the creator’s inner feelings.
Yuxian paper-cut pursues the artistic characteristic which has the full composition, vivid modeling, and crude and refined, light but not clumsy features. All this fully demonstratesYuxian people’s uninhibited, upright, intelligent characteristics and their aesthetic psychology of rich life interest and healthy social psychology. Yuxian paper-cut boldly absorbs the excellentculture and art of other areas. Through learning the color and decorative art characteristic of Wuqiang of Hebei’s woodblock printing paper-cut and TianjinYangliuqing New Year picture, it developsitself and uses carve instead of cutting and forms the unique artistic style of Yuxian folk paper-cut. The basic features of Yuxian paper-cut can be concluded into five points:
The first aspect is the composition. The equilibrium of upper and lower and the substantial symmetrical of left and right give people a plump visual beauty with a certain sense of design.
The second aspect is the engraving technology. It is dominated by incised carving, supplemented by relief carving, and the color and knife skills can be seen from the part of incising and relief carving, and it has been known for its elaborate knife skills and bright color.
The third aspect is dyeing which jointly makes the spot dyeing, paint dyeing, blooming dyeing, sets dyeing, rendering dyeing and other dyeing methods combine organically with the distinctive local characteristics.
The fourth aspect is the image modeling, and the modeling of both oplants and animals is nuancedly described and strives to give person a vivid aesthetic beauty.
The fifth aspect is the theme selection.It uses the patterns symbolizing auspicious meaning such as surplus year after year, peace all year round and soon to give person happy and auspicious feelings. Yuxian paper-cut has extensive subjects, which has deep moral and rich meaning of life. Its main contents of theme include the Chinese opera characters and Peking Opera masks, the auspicious image such as birds and flowers, twelve Chinese zodiac signs, fish and insects, fowls and beasts, etc. and some works reflect the rural real life.
②Shandong Peninsula folk paper-cut
Shandong is the birthplace of Confucian culture. The temperament of moderation, rigorousness, generosity and boldness can be felt from the paper-cut here. From the point of view of technique, Shandong paper-cut combines cutting and carving, which is dominated by cutting while supplemented by carving. The layout of the overall image is reasonable and well-conceived, rigorous but not rigid, detailed but not cumbersome with a distinct regionalcharacteristic. Gaomi belongs to the Weifang City, Shandong Province, and it is located in the junction of Jiaodong peninsula and Shandong inland. The heritage of history and culture is deep, and it belongs to Longshan culture. There are tribes breeding and civilization here as early as five thousand years ago. Withthe change of the time and the migration flows of residents, the different features of Hebei paper-cut’s vitality, Northwestern China paper-cut’s roughness, as well as’ Jiangxi paper-cut’s delicacy get a very good fusion and development here; it is especially influenced profoundly by the Confucian cultural thoughts of the Central Plains, and the spiritual connotation of its traditional culture gradually seeps into the expression of Gaomi paper-cut art.
It gradually forms the exquisite paper-cut form which is dominated by line, and combines the line and the surface.
It seems to be in line with the subtle and over-elaborated style of the Shandong
Han Dynasty stone relief. With its decorative means of dense pattern tomake the pure exterior modeling more plump, the internal of outside profileis full of engaging details. All these formed the unique artistic charm of Gaomi paper-cut.
Most of the Gaomi paper-cut themes are associated with people’s daily life and traditional folk customs, including flowers, birds, fish and insects, dramatic stories, auspicious pattern, fowls and beasts, world figures, etc. Gaomi paper-cut is often used in traditional festivals, religious rituals, decoration and modeling arts, and many other aspects. In the Spring Festival, on the Tomb-sweeping day, on the Chinese Valentine’s Day and so on, it is a good time for people to shine their paper-cut skils. In addition, a large number of applications of corresponding theme paper-cuts are used in the ritual activities scenes of weddings or funerals, natural or man-made disaster events.
The formation of Gaomi paper-cut’s unique artistic style is a result of combined effect of various factors. First, the Gaomi paper-cut reveals a rich life breath with people’s yearning and pursuit for good life, and the themes come from nature and are not constrained by the nature. The grasshopper is arranged on the outer edge of the cage in the traditional paper-cut works “GrasshopperOn Cage”, and the unique idea differs from the traditional form of grasshopper being petted in the cage, but expresses people’s ideasof yearning for freedom. Second, in addition to the influence of a fusion of regional migration culture, its artistic style is consistent with the art style that pursues similarity in spirit, purity and simplicity. Block surface structure performed in the Han Dynasty mural paintings in tombs, Han Dynasty stone relief and brick relief of the surrounding areas, the naive modeling, simple style and the forceful flavor of bronze inscription and stone carving has asimilar flavor. This is an importantcharacteristic different from other areas’ paper-cuts. The “opera figures”of local paper-cut is different from the modeling language of other parts, and it pays attention to similarity inspirit rather than appearance, which is with a natural beauty of pictographic carve. Gaomi paper-cut applies theink’s temperament and interest of traditional Chinese painting to the paper-cut, such as the paper-cut work”The Mouse Bride”. The entire work is like a freehand traditional Chinese painting scroll that mighty mouse team is arranged in accordance with folk wedding ceremonial formation, and the mice carry out their duties.The lively work fully demonstrated the folk custom and good wishes of the common people.
The basic feature of Gaomi paper-cut art:
First, the conception of the paper-cut is ingenious with a rich life breath and good ideal atmosphere. Gaomi paper-cut is based on the nature, but exceeds the nature. It skillfully usesthe unique technique of conception to reach its own creation purpose.
Second, the modeling is proper and orderly. The paper-cut’s style is rough and elegant, naive and ingenious,brief and not monotonous，simple and delicate，with forceful lines and rich stone flavor.This is an important feature of Gaomi paper-cut that distinguishes from other paper-cut types.
Third，it uses the technique of expression of unity of opposites.Paper-cut’s block surface and whole tone of black，white and gray consisting of the lines is against each other with strong contrast and coordination，rich musical rhythm，various line layout and a strong artistic charm.
Fourth，it pays attention to the national enjoyable spirit on the figure.The combination of incised paper-cut and relief paper-cut in the form of expression，exaggeration and authenticity，which is good at using sawtooth pattern and asmooth surface to make the vivid and delicate artistic effect.
