Decorative Art – Asian Arts NY

Paper Cutting Art

Paper-cutting is one of the oldest and the most popular folk arts in China, may date back to the 2nd century CE, when paper was invented in Eastern Han dynasty. On May 20, 2006, paper cutting has been oﬃcially listed as one of the earliest intangible cultural heritage of China. It is put on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. Chinese paper-cutting originated from the practice of worship of both ancestors and gods, a traditional part of Chinese culture dating back roughly two millennia Red paper is the most prevalent because it is connected with happiness and good fortune in Chinese culture, but it is not limited to any color. Two main styles of paper cutting are single-color and multi-color. Paper cutting is consistently evolving and has developed beyond China, with artists developing new techniques and materials to keep this art form alive.

Traditional Chinese Paper Cutting

AANY Featured Artist: Jianling Yue

Jianling Yue teaches Chinese language and culture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). She acquired her artistic technique during childhood in her hometown, located in Shanxi Province. As an educator, Jianling is actively taking responsibility to impart knowledge, promote culture, and contribute to society. For decades, Jianling has been passionately teaching Chinese language and culture and has held innumerable workshops and lectures on Chinese paper cutting for various cultural activities and festivals. Her artistic style integrates traditional colors like red and traditional motifs, such as animals, flowers, human figures, and mythological legends, with her unique touch that encompasses expanded themes, colors, and designs.

AANY Featured Artist: Zhuying Li ("Bamboo" Li)

“Bamboo” Li Zhu Ying (1920–2020) was a Shaanbei folk artist celebrated for her mastery of paper-cutting, a tradition passed from mothers to daughters since the 2nd century. In her village, this art carried the earthy, witty, and animist spirit of a people who had lived in cave dwellings above the Yellow River for millennia.

When I met Bamboo Li in Xi’an in 1993, her work was already hanging in museums, institutes, and private collections. She told me she could cut more than 400 patterns, representing the full repertoire of this ancient tradition. The provincial ministry of culture even began preparing a bilingual, full-color book of her legacy — 290 works selected by the artist herself.

Before I left Xi’an, Bamboo Li entrusted me with those 290 originals, asking that I preserve the collection and share it with the world. Now, at last, the Bamboo Li Legacy comes forward — a vivid record of Chinese aesthetics and the enduring strength of rural women. These bright, lively icons are resilience in motion.

— Janet Carmosky, the Bamboo Li Legacy

Photo: Bamboo Li’s Paper-Cut Legacy

Decorative Art Gallery