Chinesefolkarts.docVIP

eChinese Folk Arts China has civilizations that date back thousands of years ago, and folk art in the region has a history dating back to ancient times. Because of the great period of time involved, however, it is not always possible to distinguish true folk art from the tribal, or primitive, arts that may have persisted for several centuries. 1. One of Chinas most popular folk arts is paper cutting. Archaeological finds trace the tradition back to the 6th century; it is supposed that the beginnings of paper cutting were even a few centuries earlier. Paper cuttings are used for religious purposes, for decoration and as patterns. Paper cuttings are not produced by machine, but by hand. There are two methods of manufacture: scissor cuttings and knife cuttings. As the name indicates, scissor cuttings are fashioned with scissors. Several pieces of paper--up to eight pieces--are fastened together. The motif is then cut with sharp, pointed scissors. Knife cuttings are fashioned by putting several layers of paper on a relatively soft foundation consisting of a mixture of tallow and ashes. Following a pattern, the artist cuts the motif into the paper with a sharp knife which he usually holds vertically. The advantage of knife cuttings is that considerably more paper cuttings can be made in one operation than with scissor cuttings. Today, paper cuttings are chiefly used as decoration. The ornament walls, windows, doors, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns in homes and are also used for decoration on presents or are given as presents themselves. They have special significance at festivals and on holidays as well. At the New Years Festival for example, entrances are decorated with paper cuttings which are supposed to bring good luck. Paper cuttings used to be used as patterns, especially for embroidery and lacquer work. 2. Embroidery is the fascinating cloth art that involves the use of needles and thread. Embroidery was originally done manually, or by hand. It is basically