Paper-cutting is one of the treasures of Chinese folk art. With simple tools and materials, and easy-to-master techniques, this art form has been popular in towns and villages across China from ancient times to the present, beloved by the masses. Behind these colorful, vivid, and diverse paper-cuttings are fascinating stories. Today's protagonist is the paper-cutting artist, Zhang Xuehua.
The Unique Skill of "Draft-Free Paper-Cutting"
Most people are familiar with paper-cutting that requires drawing a draft first. However, Zhang Xuehua, a remarkable artist from Ma'anshan, can create intricate patterns without any drafts. Armed with just a pair of scissors and a piece of paper, she can spontaneously produce a wide variety of designs. Her works are characterized by their simplicity and strong traditional ethnic features. Moreover, her creations blend the boldness of northern Chinese paper-cutting with the delicacy of southern styles, making them highly decorative. For example, her "Folk Maiden" series, consisting of 12 pieces, has been permanently collected by the China National Arts and Crafts Museum.
Inspiring the Next Generation through Paper-Cutting
Zhang Xuehua frequently visits primary schools and children's palaces in Ma'anshan to teach paper-cutting. Her unique "draft-free paper-cutting" technique not only helps children develop innovative thinking but also enhances their hand-eye coordination and the ability to express their imagination through manual dexterity. By using scissors as a pen, she encourages young minds to explore the world of art.
A Couple's Joint Effort to Preserve Intangible Cultural Heritage
Zhang Xuehua's husband, Qi Pingyao, works at Ma'anshan Radio Station and has a keen interest in fine arts, especially seal carving and photography. Their shared passion for art has led them to collaborate on paper-cutting for 13 years, winning numerous awards at the provincial, municipal, and national levels. They are now working together to turn their paper-cutting works into a unique cultural product of Ma'anshan, allowing more tourists to experience the local folk culture. In March of this year, the couple participated in the CCTV Variety Channel's "Qunyinghui" special on Ma'anshan culture. This marked the first time that Ma'anshan's mass culture was showcased on national television and the first time that the newly revamped "Qunyinghui" featured a local mass cultural performance selected from cultural centers across the country.
As the inheritor of the "Huashan Paper-Cutting" tradition, Zhang Xuehua feels a strong sense of responsibility for promoting this art form. She understands that the true bearers of intangible cultural heritage are not the government, business, academia, or media, but rather the folk cultural inheritors like herself. In addition to teaching students, she actively promotes "Huashan Paper-Cutting" beyond Ma'anshan, across the country, and even internationally. Many of her works incorporate local Ma'anshan elements, such as scenes from famous scenic spots like Caishi. She plans to continue exploring historical, cultural, and natural themes related to Ma'anshan, using her scissors to bring the art of Huashan Paper-Cutting to a broader audience.
Zhang Xuehua, born in 1967, is an Anhui Provincial Master of Arts and Crafts, a provincial-level inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage "Huashan Paper-Cutting," a member of the China National Arts and Crafts Society, and a member of the China National Paper-Cutting Art Committee. The Huashan Paper-Cutting Art Company founded by Zhang Xuehua is a member of the China National Arts and Crafts Industry Innovation and Development Alliance.