Overview of paper-cutting in Yu County

According to relevant statistics, there are currently 28,000 artists engaged in the paper-cutting industry in Yu County. They are distributed in 16 of 22 towns and 96 administrative villages, including 28 professional paper-cutting villages and 1,100 professional paper-cutting households. Multi-family. When it comes to paper-cutting in Yu County, people will think of Nanzhangzhuang Village in Yuzhou Town, Yu County, as the famous professional paper-cutting village in Yu County. In fact, in addition to Nanzhangzhuang in Yu County, Beishuitou Village, Shuangjingshan Village, Danhou Village, Beiguanbao Village, Lijiazhuang Village, and Songjia Xiaozhuang Village in Xiheying are also famous professional paper-cutting villages in Yu County, where many unknown and excellent Yu County paper-cutting artists are active.

Yuxian paper-cut

The difference between them and those famous paper-cutting artists is that the famous paper-cutting artists in the county and Nanzhangzhuang create and produce modern handicrafts paper-cuts all year round; while the paper-cutting artists in these villages usually come from the county and Nanzhangzhuang. The paper-cutting factory in Zhangzhuang takes jobs and charges on a piece-rate basis. As soon as the twelfth lunar month enters, they make window grilles (traditional paper-cutting) at home and sell them in the market. The reason why Yu County is known as the famous hometown of paper-cutting is that paper-cutting has become a major industry in Yu County. Thousands of paper-cutting artists have the courage to innovate and continue to pass on Yu County paper-cutting, a folk culture with strong local characteristics. Go down. Paper-cutting artists in Yu County have embarked on a road to wealth while inheriting excellent intangible cultural heritage. According to preliminary statistics, there are more than 20 famous paper-cut artists with annual income of more than 1 million yuan in recent years, including Wang Feng, Jiao Xinde, Li Min, Zhou Guang, Zhou Yu, Zhou Shuying, Gao Dianliang, etc. Therefore, there is a local saying in Yu County: The “two wealthy households” in Yu County built magnificent new courtyards who made their fortunes from paper cutting, and the wealthy ones made their fortunes from coal.

As the country pays increasing attention to intangible cultural heritage, the national and provincial governments have also paid certain attention and recognition to many artists who have contributed to the inheritance and development of paper-cutting art in Yu County. The first batch of national arts and crafts masters and national arts and crafts artists selected by UNESCO in 1995 were six: Zhou Zhaoming, Zhou Guang, Zhou Shuying, Gao Dianliang, Gao Dianxin, and Zhao Xingshan.; The second batch of provincial arts and crafts masters selected in 1997: Ren Yude; the second batch of provincial arts and crafts masters: Ren Zhiguo; the third batch of provincial arts and crafts masters selected in 2003: Chen Yuexin, Li Min, Zhou Yu, Guo Jinglin, Guo Duo, Jiao Xinde, Ren Tang, Zhou Zhiwang, Yang Ji, Liang Xiuying, Li Baofeng, Wang Feng, Liu Jianjun, Zhao Sheng, Zhong Youfu; the third batch of provincial arts and crafts artists: Xiao Shouwen, Liang Dianwu, Gao Buping, Yan Yonghong, Zhu Zhanjun, Yuan Jin'e, Yuan Wen.