Chinese paper cutting is an old art that developed shortly after paper was invented 2,000 years ago. Though ancient, paper cutting is now widely practiced in the regions all across China. When shopping in Beijing, be sure to check out this unique Chinese art.

In China, paper cutouts are sometimes referred to as “chuang hua,” or “window flowers,” because people in the countryside like to use them to decorate their windows, doors, and walls. These works often have a double-sided design with images of landscapes, houses, people, animals, or flowers. During festivals, people like to design cutouts with auspicious Chinese characters, like “Fu,” “Shou,” or “Xi,” which mean Fortune, Longevity, and Happiness. In a traditional household, women are responsible for making such items.

Evidence shows that paper art started to gain momentum during the Tang dynasty. Paper cutouts created in this period demonstrate a high level of workmanship. The Chinese paper industry began to thrive in the Song dynasty, and it was during this time that paper cutting became a popular leisure activity for many Chinese, as more varieties of paper products were made available. The popularity was not limited to the household: even porcelain masters adopted many patterns from paper cutouts for use on their work. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, this art reached another level.

There are three main regional styles of paper cutting in China: the southern style, the Jiangzhe style, and the northern style. Cities in these regions produce a variety of sub-styles that have distinctive local characteristics.

The Southern Style: The most well-known cutouts of the southern style are produced in Foshan, Wuhan, and Fujian.

Foshan – Foshan is a city in Guangdong province. Like other Guangdong art, Foshan’s paper cutouts are famous for their lavish designs and strong colors. Both Chinese and overseas customers like the work produced here.

Wuhan – Wuhan is a city located in the ancient “Chu” culture area. The paper cutouts made here incorporate elements from this culture. They are famous for their vivid images and rich cultural meanings.

Fujian – Animals are the main themes of the paper cutouts made in Fujian. A famous work called “Chicken-Feet Flower” shows a very interesting animal picture.

The Jiangzhe Style: This style includes paper cutouts made in China’s Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Jiangsu – What’s unique about Jiangsu’s paper cutouts is the exquisite depiction of flowers. The delicate, lifelike flowers show culture, elegance, and a sense of romance.

Zhejiang – Zhejiang paper cutouts have elegant designs and exquisite craftsmanship. The designs usually show things in nature and “Yue” play characters. Some of the cutouts are used to decorate lanterns.

The Northern Style: There are three famous northern styles: the Shanxi style, Shaanxi style, and Shandong style.

Shanxi – In Shanxi province, paper cutouts are used by people to decorate their traditional cave-houses. In the old days, when the local economy was poor and there were only a few items in a common household, paper cutouts were the only things used for decoration. Simple in design, they have a unique sense of roughness.

Shaanxi – Paper cutouts produced in this province are said to be “living fossils.” Some of the oldest patterns from ancient China are shown on these beautiful cutouts. Because of its isolated location from the rest of China, Shaanxi has been able to preserve things from the past.

Shangdong – The uniqueness of Shandong paper cutouts comes from the way they are used to decorate windows. Village women in this province cut their designs in pieces, and put them up on window one by one. Altogether, each small piece makes a huge picture. This gives their work a special look.

The high-quality, unique paper cutouts in some of Beijing’s local shops are not something you want to miss. Find a personal shopper to help you find the shops and buy some exquisite products.

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