The development of folk paper-cutting in Yu County
In the 1930s, Yu County paper-cutting reached a new stage. In particular, the emergence of folk art master Wang Laoshang has pushed the increasingly mature Yuxian paper-cutting to its peak. Wang Laoshang, named Qing and nicknamed Laoshang, was born in the 16th year of Guangxus reign in the Qing Dynasty. He was a native of Nanzhangzhuang, Yu County. He believed that previous opera characters had simple knife skills, rigid shapes, and simple and similar flowers, so he redesigned and carved them on this basis. He re-engraved almost all the opera stories in the Yuxian paper-cuttings, and processed and improved the little opera actors in the stories. According to historical statistics, he carved more than 200 operas and more than 600 opera characters in his life. Wang Laoshangs opera characters are given lifelike shapes based on the story content, plot and different personalities of the characters. Every move is just right, and the emotions and emotions are vividly displayed on the page. He also standardized the processing of a large number of flower patterns, transformed and enriched paper carving tools, paper carving techniques and dyeing techniques, and formed his own unique artistic style. Through Wang Laoshangs lifelong efforts, Yuxian paper-cutting got rid of the youthfulness of the stereotyped period and matured, creating a unique new genre of folk paper-cutting. The emergence of Yuxian paper-cutting with delicate knife work, bright colors, lively shapes, and simple and full compositions is the result of years of continuous efforts, practice, and reform by Wang Laoshang and the majority of folk artists.
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In 1956, in order to promote the folk art of Yu County and develop the paper-cutting industry in Yu County, the Yu County Peoples Committee organized the scattered window artists and decided to organize the "Yuxian Special Craft Production Cooperative" (i.e. Yu County Paper-cutting Factory). Some of these artists were the backbone of the window decoration industry after the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. In particular, on the basis of inheriting the tradition, in order to meet the needs of foreign friends for viewing and collection, they worked together to design and produce traditional opera masks. The emergence of this variety has brought traditional paper-cutting from a single window to the world. In the process of international cultural exchanges, it has contributed to a better understanding of Chinese culture for people around the world.
In the early 1970s, the Yuxian paper-cutting factory was put back into operation after being destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and other window cutter artists returned to their old business. This is a period that connects the past and the future for the restoration and development of Yuxians window decoration industry. In the 1980s, individual window artists still inherited the traditional look left before the founding of the Peoples Republic of China., engraved and dyed with window grilles used by farmers, the so-called "street goods". The window grilles produced by the window grill factory are mainly sold abroad, commonly known as "export goods".
