The Yin and Yang Bagua Diagram in Folk Paper-cutting of Northern Shaanxi
The Chinese people have transformed their abstract worldview into a visual graphic language that is accepted and recognized by people, which can be said to be a huge wealth. The cyclical development of all things in the Yin and Yang Bagua can be said to be an understanding of the graphic version of the concept of "unity of man and nature". This abstract basic shape contains the complex relationship between all things in the world and reveals the movement laws of the unity of opposites. It has systematically helped people understand and transform the world.
Such a basic shape will definitely influence the view of creation in folk art. The graphics of Tai Chi have both mysterious abstract expressions and vivid imagery conveys. However, almost all forms of imagery transform the Tai Chi shape into two interacting fishes, giving this abstract form a sense of visual and psychological perpetual motion. There are many academic explanations for the origin of Yin-Yang Tai Chi graphics. On the one hand it is believed to be from Neolithic painted pottery with two fish chasing figures and a spinning wheel spinning. On the other hand, it is believed that Tai Chi graphics are not only derived from the first understanding. Its prototype or simplified form can be found in the symbols and paintings of many ancient countries: the "Swastika" swastika (all found in ancient India, Persia, and Greece) , has appeared on painted pottery dating back six or seven thousand years in our country. It symbolizes the sun, and the whirlpool of sunlight may also come from the ancients’ observations of various things, such as the whirlpool of water, wind, and weeds, which may be the circling of snakes, especially when the fetus is The curls in the abdomen are considered to be energetic symbolic structures. These are not groundless suspicions.
There is a famous paper-cutting master in Fuxian County, Shaanxi Province, named Zhang Linzhao. Her "Tai Chi Bagua Fish" is a large group of fancy paper-cut shapes, with a Pisces Tai Chi Bagua picture in the middle and eight auspicious clouds in all directions, which means good luck and good luck from all directions. There are many representations of the Yin and Yang Bagua diagrams in her paper-cuttings. This proves that this philosophical concept has been influential to this day and its foundation is solid.
There is a well-known auspicious saying among Shaanxi folk called "Snake coiled around rabbit, generation after generation will be rich", which is often used for weddings and happy events. Literally we can understand the desire of working people to live a prosperous life. The circling dynamic snake and the static rabbit use the form of "disk" to give life to the shape.dynamic performance. The combination of movement and stillness reflects the interdependence, mutual opposition and mutual penetration of yin and yang from the side.
Gao Fenglian, a folk paper-cutting art master from Baijiayuanding, Yanchuan, northern Shaanxi, has a more vivid expression of Tai Chis understanding of Tai Chi in her paper-cutting. Her paper-cuts have a distinct personality, and their biggest feature is their ability to turn static into movement, which is full of impact. This kind of momentum is rare in Shaanxi paper-cutting. Animals are the main image of traditional Shaanxi scissors, but the animals in her work show a unique aura. During the research process, the more important discovery was that many animals have "ji" swastika patterns on their tails, which symbolizes the simplification of Tai Chi. We are excited to get esoteric explanations to decipher the meaning of its code. But what was "disappointing" was that she only got this straightforward answer from Aunt Gaos mouth: "Thats the swirl on the animal." Perhaps this was the most honest and powerful answer from Aunt Gao. "Art comes from life", a real example is found here. The mysterious meaning may only be the feelings contained in her heart, and theoretical diagnosis and explanation are not important to her. Looking at the animal spirits that seemed to jump off the paper, we really felt helpless and isolated. However, we got a breakthrough from the works of Mr. Jin Zhilin, a well-known folk art research expert in my country. Teacher Jin believes that the abstract swastika pattern is the national vitality hidden in folk art. He likes to use the tiger shape as an example to explain the mystery. His tiger not only has a swastika pattern on its body, but more importantly, it is different from the tigers natural shape with four legs pointing downward. It also extends its limbs and legs in the rotating four directions. The posture of the tiger and the "shaped" swastika pattern on its body have the same dynamic feeling. It seems that this is not just an expression of animal image. Gao Fenglian explained: "This is a flying tiger, which came down from the sky." It is clear that this is the totem tiger that symbolizes the round sky and the universe. Not only the tiger, but in the Yandi Group of the ancient Qiang people, the horse is also a symbol of the sky, the sun and the round sky universe. The horses under Gao Fenglian have the same purpose as the tiger. Similarly, in her paper-cuttings, the doll with its limbs radiating and rotating in all directions, as the personified totem god and its rich variations, is the emblem of the Huangdi Celestial Clan. For Gao Auntie, the vitality of life is not just the "form" of the swastika or the limbs looking up to the sky. It is just a way of expressing the image. What exists in her heart is the eternal power of life. The artistic decoration of Gao Fenglians paper-cuttings makes extremely rich use of geometric symbols with philosophical connotations, expressing her cosmology in the original Chinese philosophy.
Although traditional paper-cutting in northern Shaanxi is a static modeling form, through the use of dynamic shapes from all directions, such as "cross pattern", "swastika pattern", "petal pattern", "rotating pattern", etc., the static and dynamic changes are interpreted to life.Restless vitality.
