Photo by Gao Zhimiao, a paper-cut work that records the changes in the old street of Zhaoqiao in the "Paper-cutting Grand View Garden" of the Cultural and Sports Center of Zhaoqiao Town
(New Year to the grassroots) "Haipai paper-cutting art" inheritors: paper-cutting not only has a strong taste of the year, but also the expression of life
On February 2, the title of "Shanghai School Paper-cutting Art" inheritor: Paper-cutting not only has a strong taste of the year, but also an expression of life
Author Gao Zhimiao
Pasting paper window flowers, resigning the old and welcoming the new, receiving Fu Naxiang is a traditional custom of welcoming the Lunar New Year in many places in China, but for Zhou Ruomei, paper-cutting not only has a strong New Year's flavor, but also an expression of life.
Zhou Ruomei, a representative inheritor of Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage, hung a "golden scissors" in the living room of her home, which was the "medal" for her participation in the National Paper-cutting Invitational Competition in 2010. A pair of scissors and a piece of paper, from the age of 8 to 78, cut out of the spring and autumn, and the paper cut accompanied her all the way.
"I basically cut paper every day from 5 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and paper cutting is my life." Zhou Ruomei said in an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Network. Chinese mascot illustrations, practical drawings of gong pen line drawing, painting of old Shanghai, folk fabrics... In the two-bedroom and one-hall house, Zhou Ruomei's paper-cut works and book materials occupy most of the storage space.
Good wishes are given between the papers. Born in The Town of Zhaoqiao, Minhang District, the hometown of Chinese folk culture and art, Zhou Ruomei "took local materials" and cut paper pieces into pictures of small bridges and people's homes under her technique. She said that the biggest feature of the paper-cutting in Zhaoqiao is the jiangnan water town.
When it comes to the production process of a Jiangnan water town, Zhou Ruomei will take pictures and record when she sees the beautiful pattern and the scenery of the town, then copy and enlarge, then change it into a paper-cut draft, and finally cut it out or carve it out, painting, cutting, carving, a dragon. Wuzhen, Qibao Ancient Town, Zhaojialou Ancient Town... Her footprints are all over the ancient towns in the Yangtze River Delta.
Paper-cut element porcelain work "Flying Flowers" by Gao Zhimiao
In addition to the accumulation of usual inspiration, Zhou Ruomei emphasized the importance of "secondary creation". On the basis of inheriting the traditional paper-cutting style, The Zhuanqiao Paper-cutting Exploration integrates the chapter methods of Chinese painting and the perspective techniques of Western painting into it, giving people a more three-dimensional feeling visually.
In order to make the creation more exquisite, repetition has also become Zhou Ruomei's daily life. "Cut paper with bare hands, a piece of paper and a pair of scissors have no manuscript, to write the pattern in the mind is to cut it more than a dozen times or even dozens of times, and what parts and how to cut it must be remembered clearly."
Constant innovation and deliberate practice have also made the paper-cutting of Zhaoqiao, represented by Zhou Ruomei, go to the world and become a cultural symbol of international exchange. She has represented China in Los Angeles, Usa, Berlin, Germany, Tokyo, Malaysia...
"The Zhuanqiao paper cut is deeply loved by many overseas Chinese, and what impressed me the most was the 2013 Chinese Industry and Commerce Exhibition in Los Angeles, USA, I cut a copy of 'A Hundred Flowers Blooming', because only one book is not going to sell, but an old couple asked many times, I can feel that they really like, and finally I gave it to them at a low price." Zhou Ruomei said.
Zhou Ruomei has a lot of experience in selling or sending works in this way, and she hopes that in this way, more people will understand and fall in love with paper-cutting. As a representative inheritor of the "Haipai paper-cutting art", she now practices inheritance every day.
Photo by Zhou Ruomei, a representative inheritor of The Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Haipai paper-cutting art
"Teacher Zhou, this year is the Year of the Tiger, and I am also a tiger, can you teach me to cut a tiger?" In the "last class" before the Chinese New Year, students asked Zhou Ruomei to "cut the tiger". Tigers, lucky words, butterflies... In one lesson, the students gained a lot.
"There are no less than 2,000 students who have studied paper-cutting with me, and many courses are of a public welfare nature, and I will go without giving me money." My daughter is also the heir of paper-cutting, and my granddaughter and grandson also like to cut paper. She said.
Zhou Ruomei is not the only one who is committed to the inheritance of paper-cutting in Zhaoqiao, paper-cutting has become a daily life that can be seen everywhere in Zhuanqiao, and paper-cutting elements can be seen in the streets and alleys, bus stops, parks, clothing, stationery, and pastries. The paper-cutting enthusiasts of Zhaoqiao have also grown from the first few people to more than 2,000 people, and formed the "Zhaoqiao Paper-cutting Performing Arts Team" to form a unique community culture.
Liu Jia, a staff member of the Cultural and Sports Center of Zhuanqiao Town, introduced, "Paper-cutting is the root of Zhaoqiao, and we hope to integrate paper-cutting culture into the lives of residents, and we can see intangible cultural heritage every day." In 2001, Zhaoqiao held a paper-cutting training class for the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, and the 'Eight Sages of Paper-cutting' emerged, and now a 'old, middle-aged and young' inheritance echelon has been formed. We also send non-heritage paper cuts to schools to enrich students' spare time. ”
The "Paper-cutting Grand View Garden" of the Cultural and Sports Center of Zhaoqiao Town gathers the love of the people of Zhaoqiao for paper-cutting, and the vivid paper-cutting works tell the development and changes of the town. In the future, Zhuanqiao Town will also take "creative paper-cutting" as the brand to develop a cultural industry based on paper-cutting art.
Paper-cutting works by Gao Zhimiao, a representative inheritor of the Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Haipai paper-cutting art, in the home of Zhou Ruomei
Paper-cutting should not only jump on the paper, but also be vivid on the stage. Zhaoqiao is exploring new paths in the development of folk traditional techniques, integrating paper-cutting with other art forms. "In cooperation with the Shanghai Theater Academy, we have integrated paper-cutting with traditional shadow puppetry, and together we have created a number of paper-cut shadow plays to truly make intangible cultural heritage 'come alive'." Liu Jia said.
The "Live Up" intangible cultural heritage is also closely following the hot spots, the Beijing Winter Olympics are approaching, and Zhou Ruomei is planning to create paper-cut works on the theme of the Winter Olympics. "Every time there is a major event at the national level, I will do the relevant content. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, I did a lot of paper-cutting for sports, and now I am going to make a complete set of paper-cutting for the Winter Olympics, including skiing, skating and other sports, as well as mascots. ”
At the end of the interview, Zhou Ruomei sent the cut New Year greeting "tiger" to the reporter. "The blessing that is cut out can express the greatest intention, and I hope to plant the seed of paper-cutting in your heart." (End)