Nanjing Douxiang flower paper cutting
Nanjing’s three treasures of craftsmanship are brocade, paper-cutting, and antique carvings. According to historical records, Nanjing paper-cutting has become popular among the people in the Ming Dynasty, and the "Douxianghua" paper-cutting is even more famous in the world. "Fragrance flower" paper-cuts are mostly used for decoration in folk activities such as worshiping ancestors and gods. In the old days, during sacrifices, incense was piled into a tall "bucket" shape, and paper-cuts were hung on the outside as decoration, so it was called "Douxianghua". Dou Xianghua". Paper-cuts and incense are burned together to offer sacrifices to the gods in the sky; some people paste the paper-cuts of incense flowers into long strips and hang them in the corner of the ancestral hall to pray for good weather throughout the year.
The cutting method of "Douxianghua" paper-cutting is to first stack about ten pieces of colored paper of different colors, carve and cut them according to a unified pattern, and then glue the different parts of each carving with paste according to the inspiration of the paper-cutting artist, and then re-assemble them. Post it on a white sheet. Although the patterns are the same, the colors of the arrangement and combination are different. It shows the folk artists spirit of cherishing materials and at the same time "making the best use of everything". This makes the "Douxianghua" paper-cutting art A unique style has been produced (for example. The themes of "Douxianghua" paper-cutting mostly use auspicious patterns such as dramas, historical stories, folklore, flowers, characters, etc. The color combinations are generally gold and red, peach, green, blue, orange, It is composed of light yellow, black and other waxy papers, with rich colors and very strong effects.
Among the works of the court painter Zou Yuandou during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, there is a meticulous painting titled "Pictures of the Sui Dynasty". Five color-blocked door letters hang above the picture. The production method is exactly the same as that of "Dou Xianghua". This form of door stamps was once widely spread in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu, especially Linyi and Cangshan in southern Shandong and Pi County in northern Jiangsu. When the New Year was approaching, every household in some villages had door stamps carved on them, and they were displayed in the markets. It was decorated with red and green colors and was very lively. This kind of door note, which is made in the same way as "Douxianghua", can still be seen during folk festivals today. However, with the decrease in sacrificial activities, "Douxianghua"“Folk paper-cutting has become increasingly rare, and this traditional art is facing the danger of extinction.
