Guan Yu paper-cutting
Our Chinese traditional culture is profound, profound and has a long history. Today, I will introduce paper cutting to you!
The content of paper-cutting contains a strong flavor of life. Fish, insects, birds, beasts, flowers, trees, pavilions and bridges, these natural scenery that people are familiar with and love, have become the patterns of people's paper-cutting. Every time there is a New Year or a happy event, people have to cut out some characters such as "福" and "喜" to express their celebration.
The images depicted in paper-cutting are vivid and lifelike. Let’s take a look at this “Fairy Descends to Earth” first! The four fairies have different expressions and dance gracefully. Their arms are wrapped with light and silky ribbons, which are gently swaying in the wind. Look at this "Squirrel Picking Grapes" again. I saw it wagging its big fluffy tail, its small eyes staring at the big purple grapes, for fear of being snatched away by other small animals.
There are also interesting folk stories in paper-cutting! This paper-cut tells the story of "The Mouse Getting Married". Look! The little mice were carrying the big sedan chair, the groom was very proud, and the big tabby cat was extremely envious. It turns out that the story goes like this: Father Mouse wants to find a good son-in-law for his daughter. Mother Mouse said the sun was the best, the sun said the clouds were the best, the clouds said the wind was the best, the wind said the wall was the best, and the wall said the mouse was the best. Best of all, the little mouse has a bride.
What a beautiful paper-cut! It’s so addictive!
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The reason why I fall in love with paper-cutting is due to my childhood life in the countryside. In the countryside, whenever there is a festival or a wedding, every house has to put up window grilles.
Country people are smart yet hidden in their simplicity, and smart yet hidden in their naivety. A pair of scissors and a piece of colored paper can fly out of the world. You cut a pair of cats, she cuts a tiger, and the two exchange each other, which not only meets the needs of the family, but also connects the feelings of the country people, and vividly expresses the simplicity and enthusiasm of the country people. I grew up in such an environment, being led by my grandmother day by day. The old grandmother is an expert at paper-cutting. Although she is dim-sighted, she can cut paper with such concentration that no one can imagine. Whether flying in the sky or running on the ground, they are so light and agile in her paper-cuttings. Her paper-cuts are simple and childlike, like Taoist priests drawing talismans, showing ingenuity and freedom in their randomness. Due to the influence of my ears and eyes, I developed a strong interest in paper-cutting.
I am a bit strange. Once I recognize the truth of death, I will end up in an alley. When I first learned paper-cutting, my grandmother strongly opposed it. Out of simple knowledge, it was said that boys had no future in this job, but I was obsessed with it and always haunted my grandmother. The grandmother had nothing to do with her precious grandson, so she had to spread out some colored paper. Of course, paper patterns are needed at the beginning, which is equivalent to copying in painting and tracing in calligraphy. Gradually, I put aside the paper patterns and allowed myself to follow my own temperament. This interest continued until I was admitted to the county high school. Because I was busy with my studies, I had to reluctantly give up my love. After more than ten years, I almost never used scissors. If it moved at all, it was purely accidental.
After work, there is no time. Once I attended a colleague's wedding. When the car to pick up the bride was about to arrive, I realized that the word "hi" in red was missing, which made the whole room anxious. I finally got out of the woods by recommending myself. Since then, my paper-cutting has spread in the workplace. Therefore, whenever colleagues hold happy events, they often come to me for help. Some brought colored paper, and some simply brought a mouth. I was happy to obey, which naturally had something to do with my likes and dislikes. Therefore, I design carefully every time, striving for changes in the cutting method, fonts and surrounding combinations: some are dragons and phoenixes, some are bees and butterflies flying together, some magpies are making plum blossoms, and some are joined by couples... all based on traditional themes. It has the connotation of a happy marriage and good luck. When I admire my work, I feel a sense of comfort that I have never experienced before, like standing in a distant field and breathing the fragrance of the soil.
I have always been rigid, which is certainly due to my personality, but there are also times when I make fun of others. I have a friend who has a lively personality and likes to play tricks on others. I have suffered a lot from his disadvantages. When he got married, he naturally asked for the word "happy" from me. I included a paper cutout of a pair of cats and dogs hugging and kissing. The two things are cute and naive.
It was originally just a joke, and I don’t know whether the person who posted it was intentional or not, but actually posted this paper cutout on the bedside table in the wedding room. It wasn't until the wedding ceremony was over and the bride and groom were blushing that they realized that they really couldn't laugh or cry. From then on, every time I talked about this, I couldn't help but laugh and curse.
2. Paper-cutting
How many little girls nowadays like to cut paper. Once I taught my students to cut paper in class. They cheered and jumped on the glass in front of them. It was covered with my own works. I was very moved when I saw this classroom that had become very folk.
Really, there are not many people I like anymore. Like girls in the past, there are not many people who can express their leisurely feelings with a piece of red paper and a pair of scissors. Scratching dolls in buns can avoid disasters. If you cut out an animal and stick it on it every day from the first to the seventh day of the first lunar month, it will mean a year of good weather and good fortune, and no big ghosts or little ghosts will be able to enter.
A very ancient and interesting legend, accompanied by the bright red window grilles on the white background window paper, ancient China is pure and elegant and charming. It's just that it has been washed away repeatedly by the years, and its soul has disappeared, and it is out of control.
In fact, it is a process of enjoyment. Lay out a piece of red paper, draw the pattern you like, use scissors to cut, dig out with the tip of the scissors, finely, each flower, each leaf, each eyebrow, and indulge in it. Situation, I don’t know how long the sun and the moon will last. Those detailed movements of the hands are also pleasurable, very primitive and clear happiness.
As for the cut things, even if some details are damaged, which is very unbearable, it will not show up at all when it is all cut. It will look good no matter what. It is childish in itself, and its beauty The form is full of joy and very tolerant.
The same goes for embroidery. When I was in college, a very beautiful girl on the bunk opposite me once leaned on the bed and embroidered lazily in the sunshine outside the window. Silver reed, I have remembered that scene for a long time.
I always thought it was a lost fairy tale for girls.
Nowadays, no one likes to do this fairy tale anymore, but my husband, as a loyal audience of mine, also loves it. He does it with me on a whim, working hard, and his hands are actually better than mine. I am very proud to be able to cut out new patterns every time, and express my leisurely feelings occasionally. Until one day, he saw someone selling paper-cutting on the street. The very complicated and beautiful patterns cost only 10 yuan each. His sense of fairy tales was immediately hit, and he was dejected, complaining about the injustice of China's ancient handicrafts.
In fact, there is no injustice. None of us have the ability to maintain an ancient folk tradition. What we do for ourselves is just a game to kill the sun and the moon. No matter how much we pretend to be more profound, it is just looking for some Peace and mood outside of real life.
But sometimes I really wonder, if in a few generations we want to see these handmade, simple and beautiful paper-cuts, will we go to a museum?
What a pity that would be.
3. Deeply dreaming about paper-cutting in the courtyard
When I came back from Yun’s wedding, I thought more about the paper-cutting in her new house and the various colored window grilles on the window glass. The best gift we received when we traveled to Pingyao.
On a summer evening, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, we met in Pingyao Ancient City. The ancient city is really a bit old. The mottled walls show vicissitudes of life and desolation. Even the broken brick walls are filled with the smell of war. But I like the faint scent of vinegar and dust in the air, as well as the strong human touch in the art of paper-cutting.
After checking into the "Xirentai Inn", I looked for my room in the maze-like deep courtyard, passed through several winding corridors, and passed by "Flowers and Full Moon", "There is a Cave", "Skylight and Cloud Shadow", In the cabins such as "Tranquility and Zhiyuan", in front of the rolling shutter door with red lanterns and window grilles, I saw the words "Indifferent and Mingzhi". This is my destination tonight and the destination I have longed for throughout my life. After putting down the luggage, without having time to think too much, he and Yun went to the streets of the ancient city.