The impact of changes in traditional living customs on the development of folk paper-cutting
In a broad sense, folk paper-cutting is an organic part of folk culture and an image carrier of folk concepts. At the same time, it is attached to the folk activities themselves. Whether used as a symbol of festivals, home decoration, or clothing patterns, paper-cutting has always been closely integrated with various folk customs and has evolved and developed to this day. However, with the development of society, especially after entering the 20th century with industrialized mass production, Chinas social production form based on small-scale peasant economy has been broken. Especially after Chinas reform and opening up, with the development of the economy, the material living standards of the people have improved. Great progress has been made, and spiritual life is no longer as closed as before. Changes in peoples lifestyles have led to the rapid disappearance of some traditional folk customs. In terms of lifestyle, due to the improvement of material standards, paper-cut window grilles, ceiling flowers, etc. are no longer indispensable decorations. Farmers generally live in spacious and bright large tile houses, and the doors and windows have been replaced with aluminum alloy or Plastic steel glass doors and windows, and a plaster roof on the ceiling.
With the widespread use of sewing machines, the production of patterns no longer relies solely on copying and cutting, and paper-cutting is no longer a must-learn craft for women. In terms of spiritual life, modern people are mostly busy with their livelihoods or addicted to modern entertainment methods, and the original close connection between paper-cutting and life has been severed. In addition to wedding and funeral customs, we can also get a glimpse of paper-cutting. Even the Spring Festival no longer requires paper-cutting. The simplification, westernization and transformation of various customs have led to the continuous reduction of the practical scope of paper-cutting, and even many paper-cuttings with distinctive folk connotations are disappearing in large numbers and rapidly. Paper-cutting has gradually become a non-practical folk art, which has received very limited attention in the market and faces a more difficult situation than other folk crafts.
