The themes and application scope of Chinese paper-cutting
The themes of paper-cutting can be divided into: characters, birds and animals, text, utensils, scales, flowers and trees, fruits and vegetables, insects, landscapes, etc.
During the Lunar New Year, every family hangs spring streamers and puts up window grilles on the first day of the first lunar month; on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, lanterns are held and paper-cuts are put on the lanterns;
During the Qingming Festival, paper cuts should be placed on the sacrifices to express the memory of ancestors;
Dragon Boat Festival, people will cut and paste five kinds of poisons to avoid the plague;
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet on the Magpie Bridge, the girls will gather together to cut patterns and compete in red;
Climb high on the Double Ninth Festival every day, cut the Double Ninth Flag, and climb higher step by step;
On October 1, the Winter Clothes Festival, in northern Shanxi, people cut clothes, hats, shoes, and quilts into various styles from five-color paper and burn them in front of the door or in the cemetery to give winter clothes to the deceased.
In order to worship God Naji and ward off evil spirits and welcome good fortune, people will cut out figures, flowers, fruits, birds, animals, scales, etc. and paste them on the window paper to add a festive atmosphere, called window flowers. When worshiping ancestors or worshiping gods, cut some words and flowers to decorate the offerings, which are called flower offerings.
When weddings are celebrated, cut out some patterns with the words double happiness, longevity or "hundred years of good union", "songs and cranes to prolong life", "dragons and phoenixes for good fortune", "long life and wealth", etc., and decorate them on gifts or dowry The items on clothes are called "fireworks" or "happy flowers". There are also "round flowers" specially used for ceilings; "corner flowers" or "edge flowers" affixed to the corners of windows; "lamp flowers" used to decorate lamps...
Paper-cutting is such a folk art form that takes root among the people, is closely related to peoples lives, and adds color and joy to thousands of households.
