Li Xiufang—the "recorder" of Ansai paper-cutting culture
Women from northern Shaanxi have always been known for their ingenuity. In Ansai, an area of ??folk culture, there is a paper-cutting expert, that is, Ansai paper-cutting celebrity - Li Xiufang. Li Xiufang was born in Jiajiawa Village, Yanhewan Town, Ansai County in 1941. Since she was a child, Li Xiufang has been influenced by her older aunts and has fallen deeply in love with paper-cutting. Li Xiufang is skillful, careful and conscientious. She often captures the fleeting beauty of nature in her life. She reprocesses and creates the paper-cutting skills she has accumulated. Continuous practice and ingenious creation make Li Xiufangs paper-cutting skills continue to improve. was promoted and at the same time laid a solid foundation for her to achieve what she is today.
When it comes to Li Xiufang’s paper-cutting, many people know this interesting story. In 1982, Li Xiufang, as the first artist from Ansai County to go abroad, performed a paper-cutting performance in Toulouse, France. At that time, all the guests present were impressed by Liu Xiufangs superb paper-cutting skills and exquisite paper-cutting works. Since the paper-cutting was done on-site, the audience was even more shocked! Among them, the mayor of Toulouse even asked for Liu Xiufangs scissors and opened them back and forth because he couldn't believe that such exquisite paper-cut creations were actually made with such ordinary scissors. He even thought that there was a computer inside the scissors.
Li Xiufang, the representative figure of Ansai paper-cutting (Picture: Fuke Folklore Network)
Li Xiufang’s independent creative ability was also fully demonstrated in this French exhibition. There were French spectators at the scene who hoped that Li Xiufang could make a paper-cut of an owl. Such a small request does not seem too much, but because owls are regarded as an unlucky symbol in China, especially in northern Shaanxi, paper-cutting as cultural creations such as auspiciousness and blessing is almost never done with the theme of owls. Created. The reason why the French audience made such a request is because the owl is a symbol of good luck and happiness in the West. Li Xiufang, a talented artist, was bold and picked up the scissors. Without any practice or imitation, she relied on her amazing creative ability to complete an outer painting in just a few minutes.Beautifully shaped and vivid paper-cut owl. Such amazing artistic creation ability is inseparable from Li Xiufang’s decades of paper-cutting experience and skill accumulation.
Li Xiufang’s paper-cut art represents, to a certain extent, Ansai paper-cut art and culture. Many people cannot understand why Li Xiufang could think of connecting some paper-cut patterns with specific things when creating paper-cuts. Li Xiufang also has her own response to this question. She believes that the old paper-cut creators pursue more of a natural expression and a free-will creative realm in the process of paper-cut creation. There are no specific rules and regulations. With the accumulation of creative experience and the enrichment of creative practice, you will be able to harvest satisfactory works. We can understand this expression as that when Li Xiufang created paper-cutting, she integrated her body and mind with nature without any restrictions or constraints, thus creating simple and beautiful Ansai paper-cutting.
Li Xiufang is not only accomplished in paper-cutting, but also in painting. Li Xiufangs first painting "In the Courtyard" was exhibited at the National Art Museum of China in 1980. Many of his exquisite paintings have appeared on the international art stage. Among them, "Dragon Boat Festival" once participated in the Salon Independent in Paris, France. The reason why Li Xiufangs paper-cutting is loved by Chinese and foreign art lovers is mainly because her paper-cutting can be appreciated by both refined and popular tastes. It inherits the simplicity and simplicity of traditional paper-cutting art, and at the same time conforms to modern peoples aesthetic taste for art. Such paper-cutting works Very rare indeed.
