(Jian Zhi)
Paper cutting is one of the ancient traditional Chinese Arts. It is not as well known as the other Chinese Arts like porcelain, calligraphy and painting. This art had its early beginnings in China after the invention of paper. During the Han Dynasty 105 A.D., a Chinese Court official called Ts'ai Lun invented paper. Around the time of the Southern (Nan) and Northern (Bei) Dynasty (420-589 A.D) cuttings and sculpted paper started apprearing. However, cutting and sculpting on other material like gold, fur, silk, or tree leaves, have been found by archaeologists long before paper was invented. The earliest paper cuttings were found by Chinese archaeologists in tombs in the northwestern province of China called Xingjian dating back to the Bei Dynasty. Paper cutting was also practiced in the southern and eastern provinces of China but their humid weather prevented the preservation and survival of their early paper cutting art work. Hence no archaeological findings of paper cut art have been found in these regions.
The invention of paper in China led to the use of paper as a new media to apply intricate cutouts and sculptured patterns. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), paper cut started to mature as a serious art form. Professional paper cut craftsmen emerged from different regions. Originally people used paper cutting as sacrificial offerings to gods, deities ancestors, or dead relatives. With the passage of time, people also started to use paper cut as decorative ornaments in their houses, windows, doors, wardrobe, ceiling and lamps using intricate nice patterns cut out from paper. The cutting techniques have been perfected allowing the rendering of complex and detailed subjects as paper cuttings. An intricate example of paper cut work during the Tang Dynasty is on display at the British Museum.
After the Tang Dynasty, came the Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD) where paper manufacturing technology was greatly improved. The improved methods of making paper introduced different kinds and colors of paper. Paper cut artists then applied their craft on the new kinds of paper and also started to use a variety of colored paper.
During Ming (1368-1644 AD) and Qing (1636-1911) Dynasty, paper cutting art reached it's peak to the point that it became one of the basic skills a Chinese girl has to have before she can get married. The subjects for paper cutting expanded as well. Landscapes, flora and fauna, scenes from traditional folk lore, gods and figurines were all depicted using paper cut outs.
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