Paper-cutting · Chinese Craft Stories

01 · Historical Records

According to the Shui ancient songs, the creation goddess Yawa placed the small paper figures she had cut into a wooden box, and they turned into human beings; human-shaped paper cuttings are also offered during the 'Niangniang Festival' prevalent in Shui regions; combined with the characteristics of paper cutting serving the needs of sacrifice and clothing, it can be seen that the origins of Shui paper cutting date back quite far. Decorative-type paper cutting involves content such as myths and legends, fables, and ethnic migration, mostly with human figures at the center of the picture, supplemented and beautified around them with the traditional decorative vocabulary of paper cutting.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Shui paper cutting is one of the expressive forms of Shui traditional fine arts. It is widely used in folk beliefs and in all aspects of production and life, and is deeply loved by the masses. Shui paper cutting is distributed throughout Shui inhabited areas; the paper cutting of the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou Province is fairly representative. The patterns of Shui paper cutting are created by the makers according to their own experience, using only scissors to cut. Before cutting, the paper is folded into shapes such as rectangles and triangles as needed, then fixed, after which a sketch is drawn, and finally the pattern is cut according to the drawing. Skilled practitioners rely entirely on a mental draft, using only a fingernail or a wooden stick to imprint a few faint marks on the paper, and can then cut exquisite designs. When a cut goes wrong, the women remedy it according to the paper pattern; such unintentional actions often make the paper-cutting effect more interesting. In modeling and patterns, subjects such as human events, flowers, birds, insects, and fish are cleverly employed; through the techniques of metaphor, analogy, and symbolism, they create an art form in which graphics and auspicious meanings are perfectly combined. The extensive use of these generational, basically stable conceptual symbols in paper cutting has given Shui paper cutting its distinctive modeling characteristics and strong recognizability. Sacrificial-type paper cutting is widely used in sacrificial activities, such as the hand-in-hand human figures hung when worshipping the birth mother 'Niangniang Goddess.' Practical-type paper cutting is used for clothing decoration, with the images of flowers and plants, birds, insects, and fish that symbolize auspiciousness and reproduction as the main motifs.

The Niangniang rite and linked-figures cuttings

The classic ritual use: linked human figures hung when sacrificing to the mother deity Niangniang, matching the Niangniang festival of the Shui region.

Repairing a slip of the scissors

When the scissors slip, Shui women mend the sheet to the pattern, an accidental act that often makes the result more interesting and frees it from rigid rule.

Folding, sketching and cutting

Only scissors are used: the paper is folded into rectangles or triangles, fixed, sketched, and finally cut to the drawing.

Cutting wholly from the mind

Skilled women work entirely from a mental design, pressing a few marks into the paper with a fingernail or stick before cutting a fine pattern.

Yawa and the paper figures in the chest

The Shui epic tells of the creator goddess Yawa putting cut paper figures into a chest to become people, echoing the craft's ritual and costume uses.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

Shui paper cutting is distributed in the Shui inhabited areas of the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou Province, and is more concentrated in Sandu Shui Autonomous County and the surrounding region; it is collectively transmitted by Shui women in families and villages as units. Local paper cutting is roughly divided into three categories according to use: the sacrificial type is used in rituals such as worshipping the birth mother 'Niangniang Goddess,' for example hanging hand-in-hand human figures; the practical type is used for clothing decoration, with the images of flowers and plants, birds, insects, and fish symbolizing auspiciousness and reproduction as the main motifs; the decorative type revolves around myths and legends, fables, and ethnic migration, with human figures at the center of the picture. Mothers teaching daughters, mothers-in-law transmitting to daughters-in-law, together with mutual viewing among women within the villages, have kept the conceptual symbols of Shui paper cutting stable for a long time.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

Shui paper cutting is collectively transmitted mainly by groups of Shui women within the scope of families and villages; the local communities also encourage social forces in various ways to participate in the protection, transmission, and dissemination of Shui paper cutting. Shui paper cutting is rooted in traditional beliefs and living habits. Its patterns are rich in subject matter, beautiful and dignified, and profound in meaning; they reflect the cultural style and spiritual sustenance of the Shui people and are an embodiment of Shui folk beliefs, gathering together the Shui people's simple worldview, values, and aesthetic outlook. They are an important vehicle for the study of Shui production and life, folk customs, and traditional beliefs.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

Paper-cutting (Qiannanbuyizumiaozuzizhi, Guizhou) · China ICH Official Project Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗