Zhongyang Luliang paper-cut used for annual festivals
The creative motivation of folk art is not purely aesthetic, but for practicality. Its practical characteristics are embodied in two aspects: one is the material aspect, and the other is the spiritual aspect. The former mainly meets material needs, such as altars, jars, bowls, plates, bamboo mats and other daily necessities. The latter mainly meet spiritual needs, such as window grilles, New Year pictures, lanterns, etc., used to wish good luck, ward off ghosts and evil spirits, and express the wishes and ideals of the common people. Folk paper-cutting art should belong to the latter category. Its production and production process are closely related to the folk activities of the common people. We can say that folk paper-cutting is a kind of folk activities, and it is also the image carrier of folk culture. Folk custom is a model for expressing emotions through a certain time, place and scope through a long history and feudal culture. Decorative paper-cutting gradually formed traditional decorative features. It became an important part of folk activities and was widely used.
The Spring Festival is the most solemn festival of the Chinese nation. Farmers’ celebrations start on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, and the Spring Festival is not over until the 15th day of the first lunar month. There is a local saying: "As soon as the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month passes, every household is busy picking up things." In other words, starting from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, people start to be "busy in the New Year", cleaning their houses and courtyards, preparing New Years food, and making flowers. Steamed buns, rice cakes, etc., couplets, New Year paintings, window grilles, etc. were pasted to worship gods and ancestors, and to visit relatives and friends... At that time, the houses and courtyards were decorated, with flowers hanging on the windows, red couplets painted on the doors, and colorful flowers. The colorful door paper fluttering in the wind adds to the festive atmosphere. In rural areas, in addition to pasting door paintings and couplets on courtyard doors, they also need to cut and paste a pair of "peach cores" ("core" is pronounced hu in the dialect). " is the custom of "Taofu". In the hearts of farmers, "Taofu" does not mean "Spring Festival Couplets", but still retains the original meaning of "Taofu" in ancient legends to drive away epidemics and ghosts, ward off evil spirits and ward off disasters. On New Years Eve, the house is dusted and swept. Every window is bright and clean, and the white window paper is covered with red and green window grilles, giving it a unique charm. In addition to pasting fish, chickens, tigers, etc., people also pasted various flowers, birds and animals, the most indispensable of which are the paper-cut patterns of "fish and chicken", which are used to symbolize "Auspicious Days with Fish"quo;. Some people also post various tiger-like paper-cuts, which may be related to the Chinese nations worship of tiger totems and tiger cosmology.
The Lantern Festival is the true end of the Spring Festival, so this festival also occupies a very important position in the lives of local people. The local people also call the Lantern Festival the "Festival of Lanterns". Of course, if there are lanterns, there will be decorations on the lanterns. Therefore, every year on the night of the Lantern Festival, you can see colorful lanterns with various shapes and characteristics everywhere in the streets and alleys of the county. The highlight of these lanterns is the different forms of paper-cut patterns posted above. The paper-cuts on these lanterns include border patterns, opera characters, auspicious words, etc. The main parts are mostly plot patterns, while other parts are decorated with riddles or floral patterns. Most of the contents and images are about praying for blessings and good luck. Various realistic or folk themes such as wishful thinking, wealth and longevity. In the vast rural areas, the lantern decorations of common people are of another style. Most of the paper-cut contents on their lanterns are to wish for good weather and safety for the whole family, and the form of the lanterns is basically the image and shape inherent to the Chinese people. The embodiment and strengthening of concepts.
Because Zhongyang County is located in the hinterland of the Loess Plateau, rainfall has historically been low, especially in spring, which can be described as "nine droughts in ten years." In the old days, when there was no rain for a long time and people were unable to save themselves, people placed their hopes on the legendary dragon. So every February 2nd, women would cut various dragon-shaped paper-cuts and stick them on their doors and water tanks at home to pray to the Dragon King for rain. Most of these paper-cuts have simple and exaggerated shapes, clear outlines, and few embellishments, showing a childish and gamey look.
Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Chongwu Festival, Duanyang Festival, etc. in ancient times. In the Qing Dynasty, Pan Rongbis "Records of Success in the Imperial Capital" records the Duanyang strips: "Young girls cut ribbons and fold blessings, and sew old healthy people with soft silk in the form of corn millet, garlic, five poisons, tigers, etc. Draw them into big red male gourds, and match them with children. "It is suitable for summer to avoid evil." On the fifth day of May, people have the custom of hanging mugwort, drinking realgar wine, eating rice dumplings, rowing dragon boats, and wearing sachets. This festival is mainly to avoid evil. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, local women in Zhongyang will cut patterns such as "chicken pecks scorpion" and "seven-star sword slashing scorpion". Some older women will also cut paper-cuts with "tiger eliminates five poisons". People cut paper-cuts with different patterns out of a good wish, hoping to gain spiritual comfort and achieve psychological balance.
Besides this, locals generallyDuring annual festivals such as the Chinese Valentines Day on July 7, the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th, and the Double Ninth Festival, people will also cut some paper-cut patterns that are consistent with the seasons to express their ideals and wishes. These paper-cuts that appear in seasonal seasons are a simple folk art phenomenon. The rich and colorful folk solar terms provide conditions for the development of paper-cuts. The activities held year after year have promoted the prosperity of paper-cutting art and expanded the spread of paper-cutting art. At the same time, they have added color to many festival activities, enriched their content, and made festival activities more distinctive.
