The history of Yimeng folk paper-cutting

Yimeng region has a long history and is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Yimeng culture is a regional culture in my countrys national cultural treasure house. The prehistoric culture created by the Yiyuan ape man and his ancestors 500,000 years ago can be said to be the source of Yimeng culture. Over the years, with the continuous enrichment of underground archaeological data discovered, and through peoples sorting, excavation, and refinement, the context of Yimeng culture has gradually become clearer. It can be said that it has rich connotations and distinctive regional characteristics. As early as four to five million years ago, human ancestors created ancient civilizations on this land. Cultural relics from the Early Paleolithic Age 200,000 years ago have been found in many places within the territory using written symbols. Nearly a hundred microlithic cultural relics discovered in the Yihe and Shuhe river basins were created by humans between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago. . The Dafanzhuang site, located in the east of Linyi City and west of Dafanzhuang Village, Xianggong Town, Hedong District, contains Neolithic tombs. The unearthed pottery mainly includes sand-filled gray pottery with thin walls similar to eggshells, which is called eggshell pottery. Clay black pottery, sand-filled white pottery, red pottery, etc., belong to the late Dafengkou Culture and have the characteristics of the early Longshan Culture in Shandong. They are of great value to the study of the development of Neolithic culture in Shandong. With Linyi as the center, it extends to Yinan in the west, Zhengcheng in the south, Yingnan and Linmu in the east, and Yishui in the north. It all contains rich prehistoric cultural sites, indicating that the southeastern Shandong region has become a stable region since the late period of the Hankou Culture. developing cultural center. The few carvings on the pottery may seem careless but are actually unique and ingenious patterns, which are in line with the traditional knife skills of later folk paper-cutting. As one of the most popular folk arts in China, paper-cutting can be traced back to the sixth century AD, or even earlier, according to archeology. When Confucius was studying with Zheng Zi, he listened to Zheng Zis explanation of the history of his ancestors naming officials after birds. Confucius sighed, "The emperor lost his official position, and official learning was in the four barbarians." This proves that Yimeng culture has rich heritage, broad and profound connotations, and the parallels with it. Culture radiates and influences outwards, making it make outstanding contributions to the excellent national culture created by Chinas long history. For hundreds of years, Yimeng people have maintained the tradition of loving culture, and at the same time they also have the ancient custom of practicing martial arts. Therefore, there is no lack of content in the paper-cutting in Yimeng area that advocates learning and martial arts. In the past, people often used paper to make animals and human figures of various shapes, which were buried with the deceased or burned at funerals. Yimeng paper-cuts were also used as decorations for offerings to ancestors and gods.

Looking back at the history of paper-cutting, according to research, since the Shang Dynasty (1600-1100 BC), people have used gold and silver foil, leather or silk fabrics to make decorations. In the Western Han Dynasty, people used hemp fiber to make paper. It is said that after the death of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, his favorite concubine Madam Li, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty missed her so much that he could not sleep well or eat to her taste, so he asked a magician to cut out the image of Madam Li with hemp paper to summon her soul. This is probably The earliest paper cutting. In 105 AD, Cai Lun improved and promoted the experience of his predecessors and began to make large quantities of paper. This form of engraving found a more popular material, and thus the art of paper-cutting was born, which has a history of more than 2,000 years. As early as the Han and Tang Dynasties, folk women had the custom of using gold and silver foil and colorful silk to cut into square shapes, and decorate their temples with flowers and birds. Later, it gradually developed. During festivals, colored paper is cut into various flowers, plants, animals or character stories, and pasted on windows (called "window flowers"), doors (called "door notes") as decorations, and also as gift decorations. Or for embroidery patterns. For thousands of years, the tools for paper cutting have hardly changed. A pair of scissors creates an art. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, the custom of "engraving gold for decoration" was popular. That is, patterns are cut and carved from paper, gold and silver foil, or silk, and cut into square geometric shapes, flower and grass shapes, or human shapes. Liang Zongcha of the Southern Dynasties recorded in "Jingchu Suishiji": "The seventh day of the first lunar month is the Human Day. ("Dongfang Shuo Zhuan·Sui Jie": When the heaven and earth first opened, the first day was chicken, the second day was dog, the third day was pig, and the fourth day was sheep. , the fifth day is cattle, the sixth day is horse, the seventh day is people, and the eighth day is grain. If the sun is sunny, things will be prosperous, and if it is cloudy, disaster will occur. Among the eight days, the human day is especially important, also known as the "human victory festival". ) Use seven kinds of vegetables to make soup; cut ribbons to make people, or carve gold foil to make people, stick them on the screen, and also wear them on the temples; and make beautiful flowers to pass them on. "Du Fu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote a poem titled "Mans Day": "On this day and at this time, everyone enjoys it together, talking and laughing at each other. The cypress leaves in front of you are resting with the wine, and the golden flowers in Shengli are clever and cold-resistant. "The famous poet Li Shangyin also wrote a poem in "Ren Ri", which said: "The work of engraved gold spreads the customs of Jing Dynasty, and the cutting of ribbons inspires the style of Jin Dynasty. "Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty wrote in his poem "Cutting the Ribbon": "The ribbon is cut as a gift to a blind date, the silver hairpin is decorated with phoenixes, both birds are flying, the people on the bridge are greeted twice, the leaves are chasing the golden knife, and the flowers are new with the jade finger. I wish you thousands of years. Spring is everywhere. "The cultural relics of the Tang Dynasty unearthed in Xinjiang in the 1960s have a pattern of seven female human figures arranged in rows. In Japans Shosoin, there are two Tang Dynasty Huasheng paper-cuts with the auspicious words saying: "A happy festival. , Good luck but newness, good harmony for thousands of years, and longevity for thousands of years. "The poet Li Qingzhao of the Song Dynasty wrote in "Bodhisattva Man": "The phoenix hairpin at the bottom of the candle is bright, and the person with the hairpin head is more light. ""Sui Shi Guang Ji" written by Chen Yuanliang of the Song Dynasty records: "On New Years Day, cut forty-nine pans out of crow-green paper or green silk, and surround one large pan, orRecord it by the age of the parents, or affix it to the door photo. "It can be seen that the application of paper-cutting was flourishing at that time. In the Song Dynasty, with the prosperity and development of economy and culture, many arts and crafts came into being, and professional paper-cutting artists appeared. Zhou Mis "Zhiyatang Miscellaneous Notes" records: At that time, Peiliang, the capital of Beijing, "went to the old On Tiandu Street, there are people who cut various patterns, which are extremely exquisite and can be made according to your wishes. Also, there are those who have more respect for Zhongwa, and every time they cut the calligraphy of each family, they will be special. Later, suddenly a young man was able to cut words and flowers on his sleeves. He is more proficient in the two, so he is famous for being good at it. Famous paper-cutting masters are also recorded in the notes and local chronicles of the Ming and Qing dynasties. "Suzhou Prefecture Chronicle" records: "Zhao Jing, Jiajing Zhong made gauze lanterns, carved with paper into the shape of flowers, bamboos and birds, with light and dark colors. Dissolve wax, apply dye, and clamp it with a light pin. The sun shines brightly