Paper-cut

Paper-cutting History

Chinese paper cutting is a unique art form and has existed for thousands of years with a long history featuring both national and regional themes.  Most of the people with access to paper for an entertainment cause such as art were usually nobles in royal palaces.  The Song Dynasty scholar Chou Mi mentioned several paper cutters that cut paper with scissors into a great variety of designs and characters in different styles, and a young man who could even cut characters and flowers inside his sleeve, the oldest surviving paper cut out is a symmetrical circle from the 6th century found in Xinjiang, China.

Designs

Chinese culture has always tried to find symbols. Like Chinese Calligraphy expression, single Chinese characters are often used to describe some meaning or representation. Other symbols like the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac are symbolically found in paper cut arts, even today. The basic art is generally 2D. The more advanced paper cuttings are usually done in stacks where it unfolds into some 3D object such as a lantern.

Uses 

Today, paper cuttings are chiefly decorative. They ornament walls, windows, doors, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns in homes and are also used on presents or are given as gifts themselves. Entrances are decorated with paper cut outs are supposed to bring good luck. Paper cuttings used to be used as patterns, especially for embroidery and lacquer work.