An introduction to Manchu folk paper-cutting

Manchu paper-cutting has a history of more than 300 years and originated from the influence of Shamanism, the primitive religion of the Manchu people. In their paper-cut works, the Manchu people expressed their reverence for the gods of nature, their gratitude to the ancestor gods, and their beautiful longing for prosperity under the protection of the ancestor gods. In the Yiwujianshan area where nomadic and forest peoples lived in history, the Manchu folk paper-cutting mostly used animal and plant totems and the female ancestor god "Ni Ta" as the main content. Most of them were straight lines, supplemented by curves, and the images were simple and informal. The shape is similar, grasping the basic characteristics of the object, or using bold and exaggerated techniques to form unique regional and national characteristics. In ethnic folk life, paper-cutting is an indispensable cultural symbol that sets off the atmosphere for sacrifices and festivals, such as window grilles, hanging paper, wedding flowers, tree of life, etc. during the New Year. It is also a decoration for daily necessities, clothing, shoes and hats. pattern.

Manchu folk paper-cutting has a certain inheritance relationship with the art of ancient ethnic minorities in Northeast China, and is also greatly influenced by Han folk paper-cutting. Manchu paper-cutting, like paper-cutting in other areas, often adopts the multi-point (scattered point) perspective rule commonly used in Chinese paintings in the composition of the shape, that is, according to the authors feelings and needs, all visible and invisible scenery is taken into his own picture. When expressing various things, the specific relationship between the main image, the environment, and the background is not considered. The paper-cut layout uses parallel displays without blocking each other. There is no change in depth between the front and back, and it is not bound by the concept of time and space. The complete expression Use a head-up perspective to grasp the overall characteristics of the object you want to express. In addition, the authors imagination and emotions are expressed through transparent perspective, that is, the inside and outside of the depicted object overlap or the front and back overlap without blocking each other. Infiltrate subjective ideas into natural phenomena, obey the logical thinking and harmonious order of paper-cutting artists, cut out what you can see, and cut out what you can't see, cut out both superficial and deep things, breaking away from faithful descriptions of natural objects, so that It serves to express subjective emotions and ideals, and the reality of objective images gives way to the reality of mental images. This is the common feature of paper-cut pattern art from all over the world: free and unrestrained, not restricted by objective factors such as perspective, proportion, anatomy, structure of natural objects, boldly exaggerated and deformed, and freely combined at will. The content of Manchu folk paper-cutting has similar life connotations to folk paper-cutting from various places, focusing on the expression of spirit and emotion to achieve the purpose of symbolizing freehand brushwork. This "homophonic meaning" expression maintains the originality of Chinese traditional cultural consciousness, reveals peoples enthusiasm and desire for life, and is a unique symbol of blessing and blessing for the Chinese.

In addition to the above commonalities, Manchu paper-cutting is different from folk paper-cutting in other regions and ethnic groups in China in terms of creative concepts, creative themes and expression techniques.

The Manchu people admire the color white and hang white hanging paper during festivals and festivals. The paper-cut paper hanging paper used to worship ancestors is also white and pasted on the "ancestor board". Generally, it adopts a continuous pattern similar to thunder pattern or swirl pattern. The paper-cut Buddha heads on Jie Shang Tomb are colorful. Most of them are made of several layers of colorful paper cut into two continuous squares of "axle and wheel money" and inserted on a wooden stick about three feet long. Due to the worship of animal gods, turtles are auspicious objects in Manchu paper-cut window decorations, as well as frogs, snakes and other patterns, all of which bear traces of early clan society. Crows, magpies, dogs and other animals are worshiped as gods, which is the same as Manchu culture. The idea that ancestors lived by hunting is not unrelated. Three-dimensional paper-cutting is also popular among the Manchu people, such as the common "Grandma Man". The Manchu costume of long robe and mandarin jacket is divided into two parts, front and back, which can be stood up. The head is single-cut and inserted on the body, and the long braid on a mans head can also be folded behind his back. The local treatment method is to use local materials, the eyes and fur of the animals are burned with incense, and the outer contour of the animal hair is treated with "no hair". The method of preservation and dissemination is through the smoking method. Paste the paper cuttings on white paper and smoke them with red pine seeds to form

A paper-cut smoked painting with black ground and white painting, easy to bind and preserve. In the selection of raw materials for cutting and carving, we also chose the nearest ones, using a variety of materials such as animal and plant skins that are common in the Northeast Plains, such as corn nests, pepper skins, leaves, birch bark, salmon skins, skins, etc. Cutting and pasting of different materials.

For a long time, paper-cutting has been an art of the working people, and it is difficult to reach the elegant hall. Manchu paper-cutting played an indelible role in the art of paper-cutting from the folk to the court. In the Qing Dynasty, Manchu paper-cutting entered the palace along with Manchu customs. In the Kunning Palace of the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Qing Dynasty emperors bridal chamber had black double "happiness" paper-cut flowers on the four corners, and a dragon and phoenix group on the center of the ceiling. There are black paper cuts of flowers, and horn flowers are also pasted on the aisle walls on both sides. This practice attracted the attention and involvement of literati painters in the art of paper-cutting, and had a positive impact on the development of paper-cutting art throughout the Qing Dynasty.