Paper Cut

Paper-cutting is one of China's oldest and most popular folk arts. It can be traced back to the 6th century and was mainly used to produce decorations for festivity or religious purposes.

Today, paper-cuts are still widely used at times of important festivals, especially the Chinese New Year, as decorations on gates, windows, walls, or mirrors to bring good luck for the family. They are also used as gifts, or as embroidery patterns for clothes and lacquer work.

The designs and patterns used in paper-cuts range from simple to fairly complicated, but no matter what, they are exquisite art forms: they are hand-made using nothing but scissors and knives, and rendered in small sized delicate paper!

The designs and patters differ depending on where the paper-cuts will be used and for what purposes: Window paper-cuts typically use flora and fauna figures. They are pasted on windows at times of festivity, signifying farewells to the old year and welcomes to a new year. Gate paper-cuts usually use figures of flowers, phoenix, and dragons as propitious symbols. For longevity, people use tortoise-patterned paper-cuts; and for decorations, there are the popular circle-shaped flower cuts.

Sewing

Sewing is another form of traditional Chinese folk arts that has been around for centuries. Sewing skill used to be held as one of the greatest accomplishments for Chinese girls. Skilled sewing artisans can make various things out of their needles and colorful threads, both for decoration and for real uses.

Here we want to show you a special sewing decoration that is associated with another traditional Chinese concept: a colorful, fun-looking hanging decoration based on Chinese Zodiac.

Do you know which animal you are? Check it out!

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