Paste paper-cutting in Shaanxi folk paper-cutting
Window grilles: Paper-cuts used to decorate and beautify windows are collectively called window grilles, including turn flowers, window corner flowers, window clouds, small window flowers, etc. Window corner flowers, also known as corner flowers, are triangular patterns that are affixed to the corners of the window and combined with other window flowers to complete the pattern. Window clouds are a complete large-scale pattern carefully designed on a thirty-six-pane window. In the outermost circle, stick the same lace to each grid, stick a larger turn pattern or window grille in the center, and then use small window grilles to symmetrically stick it around. Small window grilles are mostly small individual patterns with rich content. They mainly enhance the atmosphere of the window grilles. Compared with other types of paper-cutting, window grilles are cut more carefully, and are usually carved in the sun, so as not to affect the light in the room.
Menhua: Paper-cut paintings, mostly painted by door gods. It is a traditional folk custom in my country that during the Chinese New Year, the door god is posted on the door, just like Spring Festival couplets, which not only means to remove the old and introduce the new, but also for good luck. It evolved from the ancient myth, that is, the story about the "Peach Talisman" to ward off ghosts and the Shencha Yulei catching ghosts on Taodu Mountain; after the Shencha Yulei became the door god, he successively created some other characters, For example, the military generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong also have different legends. The door god is a symbol used to guard the door and ward off evil spirits. Since the Song Dynasty, the custom of sticking to the door god has been popular all over the country. Most of them are two warriors printed with color woodblocks, holding weapons, symmetrical and majestic. In the northwest region, paper-cuts are also used as door gods. Especially in rural areas of northern Shaanxi, they usually cut out two generals, riding horses and wielding swords, and pasted them on two doors respectively.
Kang Waihua: Common and interesting stories are cut out individually and continuously pasted on the Kang Wai. Some are also cut into continuous paper-cut patterns, much like paper-cut murals. Generally speaking, "wall flowers" posted on the wall do not have distinctive characteristics and fixed positions. They are mostly posted wherever needed, but they are relatively large in length. "Kang circle flowers" are posted on the edge of the Kang in the north. In order to keep warm in winter, people in the north are accustomed to burning kangs, usually close to a wall. Kang wei flowers are affixed to both sides of the corner, both for decoration and to keep out dust. The size of the flowers surrounding the Kang is also larger, with the largest being as high as fifty centimeters, and the square ones are the best. In terms of content, some cut out continuous stories or supporting ""Group painting". In order to make the flowers around the Kang appear neat, long strips of lace can also be pasted.
Kiln roof flowers: mainly round and square flowers, used on the top of the kiln where weddings sit in tents. In the past, residential buildings in the north often used sorghum stalks to tie the "ceiling", which is the modern ceiling. The ceiling is made of sorghum stalks, pasted with several layers of old newspapers, and then framed with white paper, making it neat and bright. The pasted ceiling is decorated with paper cuts, usually with a large "round flower" in the middle and triangular "corner flowers" at the four corners. Papermakers jokingly call this pattern "one plate and four bowls of soup." Usually the ceiling flowers are black, but if it is a new house for marriage, red ones are also used. The content depends on the owner of the house, and most of them have auspicious meanings.
