Chinese paper cutting

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Chinese paper cutting
Paper cutting with the symbol for Spring (春)
Traditional Chinese	剪紙
Simplified Chinese	剪纸
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiǎnzhǐ

The art of paper cutting (Chinese: 剪紙; pinyin: jiǎnzhǐ) in China may date back to the 2nd century CE, when paper was invented by Cai Lun, a court official of the Eastern Han dynasty.

Chinese paper cutting is a treasured traditional Chinese art dating back to when paper was developed. Paper cutting became popular as a way of decorating doors and windows as paper became more accessible. These elaborate cutting designs are created with scissors or artwork knives and can include a variety of shapes, such as symbols and animals. As paper became more affordable, paper-cutting became one of the most important types of Chinese folk art. Later, this art form spread to other parts of the world, with different regions adopting their own cultural styles. Because the cut-outs are often used to decorate doors and windows, they are sometimes referred to as "window flowers" (窗花; chuāng huā) or "window paper-cuts". These cut-paper decorations are often glued to the exterior of windows, so the light from the inside shines through the negative space of the cutout.^[1] Usually, the artworks are made of red paper, as red is associated with festivities and luck in Chinese culture, but other colours are also used. Normally cut-paper artwork is used on festivals such as Chinese New Year, weddings and childbirth, as cut-paper artwork is considered to symbolize luck and happiness.^[2]