Folk culture is reflected in the symbolic art of Chinese folk paper-cutting
Folk culture is formed in the long-term development of human society. It is the sum of folk customs and habits such as food, clothing, housing, transportation, etiquette, beliefs, fashions, and entertainment that are closely related to residents’ lives. It is a folk custom established by society and popular and inherited. Cultural model is a kind of cultural accumulation. Folklore is not only a cultural phenomenon that is inherited by the people, but also a way of behavior for a nation to freely express emotions and show its unique spiritual outlook and worldview. Any kind of folklore phenomenon is composed of corresponding manifestations. These expressions are exactly the symbols of various folk elements. There are quite a lot of folk themes in paper-cut works, and accordingly a lot of folk symbols of paper-cut have been produced. Folk symbols also have a certain, relatively fixed structure and follow certain rules. Folk symbols, as folk expression objects, are represented by a certain folk thing and have certain symbolic meaning in the corresponding background. In the process of communication of folk information, that is, the process of symbolization of folk customs, the use of folk symbols in paper-cutting art is more importantly the symbolic expression of symbolic meanings. For example: "Red dates, peanuts, longans, chestnuts" are real objects, but they do symbolize the early birth of a child, expressing peoples ardent expectations for the result of marriage - the reproduction of offspring, thus forming a folk symbol of happiness, harmony and happiness. .
What modern folklore is concerned with is to gain a glimpse of the origin and foundation of the generation and development of a certain social culture through the complicated folklore phenomena, and to deeply explore the roots of a national culture. This shows that folklore itself has a distinct symbolic function. From the perspective of the occurrence and development of paper-cut art, the folk customs reflected in paper-cut art are a social and cultural phenomenon. It reflects the economic, political, religious and other cultural forms of a certain society and nation, and contains the national philosophy, art, religion, customs and The origin of the entire value system, it has carried the spread of human culture in a vivid form for thousands of years, thus forming a dynamic symbol of paper-cut culture. Therefore, paper-cut art can be said to be a carrier of folk culture.
We have to admit that most of the content expressed by paper-cutting is about safety.The yearning and pursuit of good fortune, wealth and happiness are the psychological comfort and spiritual compensation for real life of the people living at the bottom of society. It can also be said to be the people’s concept of spiritual needs. Once this concept of spiritual needs occupies an important position, It forms an important part of the connotation of folk cultural concepts. This concept of folk culture is faithfully reflected in folk customs. In this sense, paper-cutting is not only an important part of folk customs, but also through the exploration of paper-cutting, we can learn from the folk art category of paper-cutting. We have seen the reflection of other folk art categories in paper-cutting, such as the relationship between paper-cutting and shadow puppets, paper-cutting and embroidery, paper-cutting and folk New Year pictures, etc.
In real life, we emphasize "changing customs", which is also the inevitable development of the times. However, no matter how the folk customs change, they must have their own origins and develop along their own historical context. It is impossible to "source water" and "tree without roots", so it is necessary to look back on the historical context and learn from tradition. Through the discussion and analysis of paper-cutting art, it is important to understand the form and background of paper-cutting. It is important to understand its symbolic connotation. The development and interpretation of the symbolic connotation of paper-cutting patterns can also reflect the changes in folk customs, which is also a supplement to the development of folk customs. .
