An introduction to Hunan minority folk paper-cutting
The ethnic minorities in the central and southeastern region refer to the Zhuang, Tujia, Maonan, Gelao, Li, etc. 9 people who are distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, Hainan, Taiwan and other provinces and regions. A minority ethnic group, most of them live in hilly areas with numerous rivers and lakes, fertile land, mild climate, abundant rainfall, and relatively superior natural conditions and ecological environment. Their economic life is based on rice farming, terraced fields and dryland farming, with forestry as a sideline. and fishing and hunting.
Hunan paper-cutting inherits the custom of carving and carving in the Chu region and the custom of decorating the National Day. The dragon, phoenix, and tiger patterns that Chu people like to use frequently appear, and the sacred birds often appear in the paper-cutting of the Miao and Tujia people in western Hunan. Many of the monsters are similar to the magical images in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", such as the mountain charm, the god of fire, the pardoner, the horse face, the thunder god, the lightning mother, the rain master, the golden-winged roc, the six-handed and six-legged god, etc., and The deformation is strange and imaginative, with a strong imprint of shamanic culture.
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In the Tujia area, when a child is born, a paper Bodhisattva (Uncle Amo), the patron saint of Tujia children, is cut out and affixed to the wall of the fire pit until the child is 12 years old. In addition, there are also a large number of embroidery paper-cuts as embroidery blueprints, mainly embroidered on the edges of clothes, trouser legs, tent brims, childrens hats, saliva pockets, pillows, shoe uppers, chains, wallets, child belts, etc., according to the embroidery parts Adopting the principle of "conforming" cutting and engraving, the pattern is arranged according to the shape of the embroidery part. In addition, influenced by the surrounding Han people, there are also some "fireworks" that are affixed or covered on gifts during festivals, "happy flowers" that decorate new houses, and lanterns that decorate lanterns. In addition to the folk craftsmen who specialize in walking around the streets, paper-cutting is mostly done by women. Tujia paper-cut patterns have simple, fresh patterns, smooth lines, and exaggerated compositions that are vivid and lifelike.
