Explanation of the origin of folk paper-cutting in historical materials
Chinese folk paper-cutting has a long history. There are many descriptions of paper-cutting in classical literature, celebrity poems, local histories, and folk songs. Historically, there have been many excellent paper-cutting works handed down in urban and rural areas, but many of them are no longer visible. Folk paper-cutting is widely distributed in China, with diverse techniques and styles. Rural areas in various regions have formed their own relatively stable artistic forms and modeling methods. Judging from its origins, the history of folk paper-cutting can be traced back to the animal skin cutting skills and carving art of the Paleolithic Age. Primitive people used sharp tools to cut animal skins, drill holes in shells, animal bones and stones, and carve various patterns. These gave birth to the early paper-cut vocabulary, which can be said to be the original prototype of paper-cut.
Because the raw materials of paper-cutting are not easy to preserve, there are few physical objects handed down from generation to generation. The early historical origins of paper-cutting can only be gleaned from historical documents and a small number of unearthed objects.
The earliest records of paper-cutting in history books date back to the Han Dynasty. It is recorded in "Historical Records", Volume 39, Jin Family No. 9: "King Cheng was playing with his uncle Yu, and he cut the tung leaves into silicon to be with his uncle Yu, saying, "This is how to seal Ruo." This means "cut the tung leaves to seal the younger brother. "The story about cutting tung leaves into the shape of jade silicon may be the earliest record of paper-cutting.
Folk paper-cut works
In a Shaanxi ballad, it is sung: "The concubine of the Han Dynasty holds her baby and plays in front of the window, skillfully cutting tung leaves to shine on the window screen." It also shows the custom of using sycamore leaves cut into images to play games. Gao Cheng of the Northern Song Dynasty said in the "Shadow Play" section 48 of Volume 9 of "The Chronicle of Things": "The origin of shadow play stems from the death of Mrs. Li, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and the young man of the Qi people said that he could To his soul..., the young man made a square curtain at night, lit up the lamps and candles, and the emperor sat in his tent, looking out from the curtain, it looked like a portrait of the lady." It is recorded that the young alchemist used paper to cut out the image of Mrs. Li to comfort Emperor Wu.
Paper-cutting has already begun to enter the stage of folk life in the Jin Dynasty. "The Complete History" by Shi Menglan in the Qing DynastyThe Gong Ci in Volume 9 of "Gong Ci" in the Jin Dynasty: "The clouds are cut into pieces and the colors are even, and the patterns are renovated for a while. Before I arrived at Hualin Garden, I saw spring in the palace first." Its brief explanation says that "The Origin of Things" contains, Jin In the first lunar month of Emperor Huis reign, the flowers were not yet blooming, so he ordered the palace servants to cut five-color Tongcao flowers. Fu Qian, the king of Han Dynasty, ridiculed "the expense of collecting flowers". In Jin Dynasty, Xinyejun passed down his family and cut flowers as a profession. The dyed silk is hibiscus, and the twisted wax is lotus root. If it is not cut off, the ribbon-cutting of flowers begins in Jin Dynasty! In the second volume of "Jade Candle Book" written by Du Taiqing in the Sui Dynasty, it is recorded: "On the day of Buddhas Nirvana, the Buddha was cut. For leaves, or at the Bon Festival, cut ribbons and copy the shapes of flowers and leaves."
These customs contain Buddhist and Taoist cultural connotations. It can be seen that paper-cutting has become popular among the people as early as the Jin Dynasty. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, the art form of cutout has been widely used in religious rituals, festivals and folk customs. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Zong Lin, a native of Nanyang in the Liang Dynasty, recorded the customs of the Human Day Festival in Jingchu area in "The Chronicles of Jingchu": "The seventh day of the first lunar month is Human Day. Seven kinds of vegetables are used as soups, ribbons are cut for people, or gold foil is engraved for people. Post it on the screen, and also wear the flower on your head to give it to each other. ... Liu Zhens wife, Chens "Jin Jian Yi" said: "For seven days, the master is better than others. "Dong Xun said: "The winner may cut a ribbon, or engrav it with gold foil, and post it on the screen, or wear it, just like a person entering the New Year, and the description will be changed anew. "Huasheng originated in the Jin Dynasty. Jia Chongs "Mrs. Lis Code of Precepts" says, "It looks like Ruitu Jinsheng, and it also looks like the Queen Mother of the West wearing a sheng on the seventh day of the first lunar month to see Emperor Wu in Chenghua Hall." It used to be the seventh day of the first lunar month. Being a human being means being famous.
Cutting ribbons and carving gold foil are all in line with the meaning of the day, just like the carving of roosters in the house on Zhengdan. "On the day of the beginning of spring, a ribbon was cut for Yan to wear, and the word "Yichun" was posted on it. According to Caiyan, it is Hehuan Luosheng. Zheng Yifu competes with two colorful swallows in the Yunhan Palace and knows that the spring scenery is on the hairpin head. The word Yichun is mentioned in Fu Xians "Yan Fu". When it arrives in the east, swallows are set up to welcome it. Qi Qi, with green light wings, is about to fly but has not yet taken off. Mrs. Hes skills are ingenious and her rituals are similar. When he wrote a green book in praise, he wrote about Jiashe in Yichun. "It records that during the Human Day Festival, human figures were cut and engraved on colored silk and thin metal sheets, posted, worn, and given to each other, indicating that people entering the New Year should take on a new look and bless each other.
On the basis of inheriting the styles of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, paper-cutting in the Sui and Tang Dynasties was more widely used in folk activities such as festivals and sacrifices, decorative scenes, and witchcraft. The social turmoil in the late Tang Dynasty affected the art activities in the Central Plains. As the population of the Central Plains migrated southward, paper-cutting art flourished in the south and southwest. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Li Tingji, the Minister of Rites, compiled a five-character and one-line rhyme summary of the general history of China, "Jian Lue Tuo Zhu", Volume 3 of the Sui Chronicles, and wrote in the Sui Chronicles: "The sons name is Sui Changdi...lip;...The ribbon is cut to hang in the forest garden, and the boats are transported to Kangxi. They linger and forget to rebel, and they die in desolation and never return. ”
In the Tang Dynasty, the poet Du Fu wrote a poem titled "Two Pieces of Human Days": "On this day and at this time, everyone enjoys it together, talking and laughing at each other. The cypress leaves in front of you are resting with the wine, and the golden flowers in the victory are clever and cold-resistant. ." Another poem "Peng Yaxing" writes: "Warm soup fills my feet, paper cuttings attract my soul."'. The poet Li Shangyin said in his poem "Peoples Days Are Events": "Engraved gold works will spread the customs of Jing Dynasty, and cutting ribbons will spread the Jin style to people." Another poem "Poem of Jiaoer" said: "Please write to me about spring victory, spring victory is suitable for spring days." "Poet Li Yuans poem "Cutting the Ribbon" wrote: "Cutting the ribbon is a gift for a blind date, silver hairpins are decorated with phoenixes, both hold slow birds, and people on the bridge meet twice, leaves chase the golden knife, flowers follow the jade fingers, and I wish you thousands of years. The poet Wei Yingwu wrote in "Listening to the Song of Orioles" in "Listening to the Song of Orioles": "The shrike flies by and kicks, and the mulberry fields are green when the hoopoe falls." Poet Cui Daorongs
