Liu Jiying

01 · Lineage & Regional School

Liu Jiying, Female, Manchu, from Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Paper-cutting (Ⅶ-16). The tradition is documented in Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning. Within the regional tradition and school record of Paper-cutting in Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning: Xiuyan Manchu papercutting is closely integrated with local social customs. For happy events, dragons, phoenixes, and the double-happiness character are cut in red paper in celebration; for funerals, round flowers and paper streamers are cut in white paper in mourning; and at New Year and festivals, hanging flags, window flowers, or gourds are cut to heighten the festive atmosphere. Over its long evolution, Xiuyan Manchu papercutting has merged the Manchu and Han traditions, forming a distinctive character with both a plain Manchu quality and the influence of papercutting from China proper (within the Passes). Local women are mostly able to cut, and the skill is transmitted from mother to daughter within families; exchanging patterns and swapping designs at New Year and festivals is a common way of passing on and learning the art. Xiuyan Manchu papercutting, popular in Xiuyan Manchu Autonomous County of Liaoning Province, began in the early 17th century when the Manchu people entered Xiuyan, and has a history of more than three hundred years to date. The Manchu people traditionally use hanging flags to worship their ancestors; this practice promoted the development of papercutting and further evolved into a variety of styles such as window flowers, ceiling-shed flowers, and lantern flowers, which were widely applied in folk Manchu custom activities such as weddings and funerals. Xiuyan lies in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning and was a settlement area of the Manchu people in the Qing dynasty. Papercutting was introduced here and took root along with the sacrificial and living customs of the Manchu people. When local households mark a happy event they cut dragons, phoenixes, and the double-happiness character in red paper; for a funeral they cut round flowers and paper streamers in white paper; and at New Year and festivals they cut hanging flags, window flowers, or gourds. Both colors and styles are determined by ritual custom.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

The bearer record for Liu Jiying is anchored in the documented technical standards of Paper-cutting in Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning. Within the documented technical tradition of Paper-cutting in Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning: Xiuyan Manchu papercutting is vigorous and bold, plain yet refined, with exaggerated and fantastic forms, exuding a strong rustic flavor while preserving the Manchu people's ancient cultural traditions and ethnic characteristics. Farmwomen of Xiuyan such as Liu Jiying and Zhao Xiuzhi are master creators of Xiuyan papercutting. The traditional-style works they cut—"Thousand Butterflies Picture," "Lion Sporting with an Embroidered Ball," and "Playing Tiger Picture"—can be regarded as representative works of Xiuyan Manchu papercutting. Xiuyan Manchu papercutting uses a concise cutting method, usually starting with symmetrical folding; the cut falls decisively, with large flat areas and few lines, relying on the silhouette and red-white contrast for effect. Common subjects include butterflies, lions, tigers, dragons and phoenixes, round flowers, and Manchu figures, used mainly for windows, ceiling sheds, and lanterns, as well as for wedding joy flowers and patterns for trunks and cabinets. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Colour rules for weddings and funerals": Red paper with dragons, phoenixes and double-happiness marks weddings; white paper with rosettes and banners marks funerals; flags and gourds appear at New Year. "Hanging flags and Manchu ancestor worship": Dating from the early seventeenth century, it grew out of the hanging flags used to honour Manchu ancestors and branched into window, ceiling and lantern flowers. "Thousand Butterflies, Lion and Ball, Tiger at Play": Village women such as Liu Jiying and Zhao Xiuzhi were leading cutters whose Thousand Butterflies and Lion and Ball rank as representative works. "Leading village cutters Liu Jiying and Zhao Xiuzhi": Passed down among farming women, the art found its finest exponents in Liu Jiying and Zhao Xiuzhi, whose work keeps the old Manchu tradition alive.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

In 2025, Liu Jiying was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Paper-cutting, with Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Paper-cutting in Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2008 (batch 2), with Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning as its declared area, and Xiuyan Manchu Autonomous County Cultural Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Liujiying (Xiuyanmanzuzizhi, Liaoning) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Liujiying · China ICH Official Archive