Symbolic shapes and related literary techniques in Chinese folk paper-cutting
In literature and art, symbolic means are one of the commonly used forms of expression by writers. Ancient Chinese literati were relatively introverted in temperament and paid special attention to the implicit expression of emotions. The earliest collection of poems in my country, "The Book of Songs", uses a lot of the techniques of comparison and elaboration. In Chinese folk songs, which are inherited from the "Book of Songs", the techniques of comparison and elaboration have always been widely used. At the same time, the relationship between folk paper-cutting and folk songs is closely related. Inseparable, so paper-cutting artists also draw on literary techniques when creating paper-cutting. As for the symbolism of this kind of shape, Mr. Yao Yiwei, a famous Taiwanese scholar, has a unique explanation: "That is its symbolic nature, metaphorical nature and suggestive nature. These three constitute the three most basic functions of the symbol. The three basic conditions." The symbolic shape of paper-cutting is mainly reflected in two aspects: first, using the homophony of the image and object to express auspicious meaning; second, the combination of metaphorical meanings.
Homophone
Homophony is originally a form of language expression in literature, commonly known as "koucai" among the people. In paper-cutting, paper-cutting artists use homophony to express auspicious symbolic meanings in groups of pictures.
For example, there are lotus flowers in the paper-cut compositions of "Continuous Takako" and "Continuous Years of Fish", which use the homophony of "Lotus" and "lian", so the lotus has a symbol of continuity; at the same time, "fish" and "yu" "Yu" is a homophone, so fish has a symbolic expression of excess and wealth. Butterflies are also a common theme in paper-cutting. Firstly, the shape of butterflies is relatively beautiful. In addition, the words "butterfly", "cow" and "瓞" are homophonic. Therefore, the combination of butterfly and cat, and butterfly and melon are respectively "Old Man and Longevity" and "Melon". The auspicious symbol of butterflies. The image of the bat itself is not beautiful, but because “Bat" and "Fu" are homophonic, and the bat in the paper-cutting is a symbol of blessing. If there are five bats in a paper-cutting work, it is called "Five Blessings". Peony symbolizes wealth, if peony and The combination of Begonia and Hibiscus is a homophony of "Rong" and "Rong", "Tang" and "Tang", which symbolizes "prosperity and wealth" and "full house of wealth".
There are many works that use homophones in the collection of paper-cut patterns, such as: more than one year after another, prosperity in three Yangs, deer and cranes in spring, being granted a title immediately, good luck, wealth and peace, etc. Such creations of collective consciousness are among the common people. It has gradually been fixed as a substitute for a specific concept in peoples minds. It has been circulated among the people for a long time and has been used continuously.
Metaphor
Metaphor is a rhetorical technique in literature, including similes, metaphors, metonymy and other types. Paper-cutting often uses this technique in creation, and uses this technique to express the symbolic meaning of the people.
The symbolism of fish and lotus was mentioned in the reproductive worship section of this article, but the origin of this symbol is indeed the use of metaphor. Fish is used as a metaphor for men, and lotus is used as a metaphor for women. "Fish playing with lotus" is actually Men and women playing with each other, such as "Mandarin ducks exploring lotuses" also have a metaphorical meaning of sexual intercourse between men and women. There are many such examples in paper-cutting. These paper-cuttings often use metaphors to give symbolic connotations to the paper-cutting content. For example, dragons and phoenixes symbolize auspiciousness, peonies symbolize wealth, white-headed birds symbolize couples growing old together, peaches, turtles, pine trees, and cranes symbolize longevity, pomegranates, gourds, and lotus pods symbolize many children, and double-flying swallows and lotus flowers symbolize eternal love and unity between husband and wife, etc. .
This technique is actually the application of traditional culture of literature and art in paper-cutting. In this way, paper-cutting borrows from the widespread dissemination of oral literature and written literature, making the symbolic connotation of these patterns have a deeper imprint among the people.
