Zhongyang Luliang folk paper-cut used in life rituals
The birth of a child is a great joy in the family, and the elders must celebrate this new life. In Zhongyang, whether in towns or rural areas, as long as there is a new life in the family, the women in the family will have to cut a red paper-cut window grille themselves or ask someone to paste it on the door. Generally, it is a rectangular paper-cut for the birth of a boy, and a rectangular paper-cut for a girl. Pasting rhombus-shaped paper-cut patterns is one way to announce good news, announcing that a new baby has been added to the family, and at the same time, it is also a blessing for the newborn baby to avoid disasters. The other is to announce news, which is also a kind of door sign. People are well aware of this custom. You won’t be able to come in and out casually. In addition, if the newborn is a boy, a square piece of white paper will be pressed with a piece of coal on the door pillar to symbolize upright character and purity; if the baby is a girl, a piece of red paper will be pressed to symbolize great blessings in the sky.
When their children grow up, parents try their best to prepare their children’s wedding gifts, wishing them harmony and a long life together. We can see this mood from the paper-cut patterns on the brides dowry, the grooms wedding items, and the gifts given by relatives and friends. During the wedding ceremony, everything used must be covered with "fireworks". "Fireworks" are also called "happy flowers", which are naturally pleasing to the eye and full of joy. The symbolic objects on the fireworks, such as flowers and plants, utensils, mascots, word patterns, etc., are also artistic techniques to express feelings and are often inclusive. People’s indescribable ideals, wishes and blessings. Take the "bowl flower" cut and pasted on the window of the bridal chamber. The shape of the two bowls are closely interlocked, which means "joining the 卺". Nu is a ladle. One gourd is divided into two ladles. When the two ladles are combined, it is called "united 卺". In addition, the paper-cuts composed of "rats making grapes", "rats pulling melons", "rats pulling chickens", "pomegranate fish", and "catching bun babies" also have the meaning of reproduction. For many years, the common people have understood, understood and accepted the unique and consistent themes, romantic and unrestrained formal structures, and simple and clear symbolic meanings of paper-cutting. It follows that theseFolk paper-cutting embodies the collective mind that has been inherited for a long time, and also expresses social forms, human history and rich psychology. Weddings are very particular about the word "xi". The person marrying a daughter should put the word "xi" on it to express a kind of joy and auspiciousness; the person marrying a daughter-in-law should put the word "xixi" on it. The word "Xi Xi" was originally a word collectively created by the people. "Xi Xi" is used to describe happiness after happiness. Out of the rich imagination of folk artists, which also reflects a common national psychology, when they cut the word "Xi Xi", they combined images such as money patterns, auspicious animals, flowers and birds, which further increased the meaning of the paper-cut patterns. It also reveals the very rich psychology of the Chinese nation. Only in this way can the deeper and broader meaning of the author be expressed. In the birthday ceremony, guests wish to celebrate their birthdays. In the countryside, they usually bring home-made birthday buns. On the buns, there is a red paper-cut "Shou Peach Gourd", or a bat (bat is a blessing), a deer (lu is a blessing), a longevity star. Three compositions of patterns. In a word, I wish you good health and longevity.
In Zhongyang County, funerals are taken very seriously, especially normal old age and death, which are called "happy funerals", and weddings and weddings are listed as "red and white events". From the funeral to the funeral, the bereaved family must hold etiquette. This idea of ??turning misfortune into good fortune and sorrow into joy is mostly reflected through paper-cutting. There are "flags" cut from white daylily paper. These "flags" are made by folding the white paper into three consecutive layers according to the lifespan of the deceased, and then cutting them. However, the three layers are not completely cut and are still connected together. Male The girl on the left and on the right hang on the pole outside the door on the day of the funeral; there is also paper money, mostly cut and carved from yellow daylily paper, with the meaning of summoning souls and sending money. On the day of the funeral, these paper money should be scattered on the road On both sides, they express condolences for the deceased and pay homage to ghosts and gods; in addition, there is a type of paper-cutting decorated with paper figures used in funerals and sacrifices. This type of paper-cutting is mostly made of gold and silver foil and colored paper. The pattern composition is rigorous and complex, and the characters are Most of the clothing has floral patterns. In addition, as funeral activities become more and more grand, people also prepare relatively complete modern living utensils for the deceased, mainly including villas, full sets of home appliances, cars, gold and silver mountains, money trees and other paper bundles, with the purpose of allowing the deceased to rest in the afterlife. Live a comfortable life and don’t suffer. These paper bundles are covered with paper-cut patterns that symbolize wealth. In addition to these paper-cut patterns used in funerals, there are also paper-cut patterns such as shawl flowers, soul tablet flowers, coffin flowers, candlestick flowers, etc. All of these paper-cut patterns are used to symbolize wealth and happiness.
