The themes and steps of Xin'an paper-cutting

1. The theme and content of Xin’an paper-cutting

Most of the traditional paper-cut themes are endowed with auspicious spiritual consciousness, which all reflect the peoples yearning for a better life and are a portrayal of the yearning for beautiful ideals and beautiful emotional life. Xin'an paper-cutting is also in this form. It has fundamentally transcended the basic functions and risen to the spiritual level. It is a true description of thinking activities.

The themes of paper-cutting are very wide. A large number of flowers, birds, fish and butterflies are the main themes of paper-cutting, such as "birds singing and fragrance of flowers", "birds paying homage to the phoenix", etc.; there are also themes with auspicious meanings, such as "lion rolling hydrangea", "magpie climbing plum blossom" ", etc.; there are also historical figures and folklore themes such as "Twenty-Four Filial Piety", "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea", etc. The ceiling flower patterns used for weddings include fish, which symbolizes plenty every year, lotus, which symbolizes marriage and early birth of a child, copper coins, which symbolize wealth, and lotus, which symbolizes a good life. Although the dough flowers used in festive festivals are small, they are cut exquisitely and meticulously, and the patterns are full. (For information on the inheritance of Xin’an paper-cutting, please refer to: Paper-cutting in Xin’an Primary School—The inheritance of Xin’an paper-cutting in Huangdao)

2. Basic steps of Xin’an paper-cutting

Xin'an paper-cutting can be roughly divided into two types, simple patterns and complex patterns. Guan Ru said: Simple patterns are cut directly after folding the paper. After the complex patterns are drawn, copy them onto red paper and then cut them with scissors. For example, if the "Twelve Zodiac Signs of Fortune", "Twelve Zodiac Signs of Reincarnation" and "Nian Nian Fu" are round, you need to make paper with a 30° angle, and then make the required pattern design on it, and then put the pattern on it after the design is completed. Copy it on red paper folded at 30°, and then cut it according to the pattern. The final pattern cut out is a circular connected pattern. (Guan Ru, an outstanding representative of Xin’an paper-cutting, introduces: Huangdao Xin’an paper-cutting artist—Guan Ru)