Features of Yueqings fine-grained paper-cut art

Compared with other Chinese folk paper-cuts, the artistic characteristics of Yueqing fine-grained paper-cutting lie in its "delicacy and slenderness" and its "neatness and beauty". The composition of Yueqings fine-grained paper generally has the center as the theme, and the "dragon boat flower" pattern is retained around it, that is, straight lines of consistent thickness are combined into various shapes.

Compared with paper engraving from other places, Yueqings fine-grained paper engraving can be said to have reached the ultimate in pursuit of "meticulousness". A skilled person can carve 52 fine lines on a square inch of paper. It takes more than ten days to carve the fine-grained paper with the mouth of a bowl. Various folk patterns can be detailed and richly expressed on paper several centimeters square. This makes Yueqing fine-grained paper gain the reputation of "Chinese paper-cutting". "Representative of the Southern Sect".

The traditional pattern of "dragon boat flower" preserved in Yueqing fine-grained paper cutting is different from the crescent, zigzag, jujube stone and other patterns that are more common in northern paper-cutting. They are basically presented as two or four square rectangular continuous shapes. . Most of this pattern comes from local folk crafts such as wooden windows, pottery, weaving, lacquerware, etc. In terms of production, Yueqing fine-grained paper carving techniques are exquisite and subtle, straight and powerful, the patterns are as thin as hair, the workmanship is not greasy, the fineness is not complicated, and the expressive power is very rich. However, it is precisely because Yueqings fine-grained paper carving technique is difficult to master in a short period of time. Therefore, paper engraving artists generally need decades of carving skills to create exquisite works.