A pair of scissors is unleashed with unlimited creativity, and a piece of red paper carries thousands of years. On the occasion of the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon in the lunar calendar, Xi Xiaoqin, a leader in the Chinese arts and crafts industry and a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage "Shanghai Paper-cutting", with his exquisite skills, uses red paper and scissors to outline a vivid and lively Zodiac paper-cut works, including dragons, oxes, tigers, rabbits and other images, in an artistic way to interpret the beautiful vision of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new and the deep blessing of blessing Naxiang.
On the day of the interview, as soon as the reporter stepped into Xi Xiaoqin's studio, he was attracted by the vivid paper-cut artworks hanging on the wall in front of him. Xi Xiaoqin held scissors in his hand, faced with red paper without drafting, with more than 50 years of honed profound skills, he cut and flew as he wanted, and in an instant, a dragon full of vitality jumped on the paper, which was breathtaking.
Xi Xiaoqin fondly recalled that it has been more than half a century since he devoted himself to the art of paper-cutting, and he studied under Mr. Wang Zigan, a master of Shanghai-style paper-cutting art. Xi Xiaoqin combines the essence of traditional paper-cutting art with modern aesthetics, and seeks a balance between persistence and innovation, not only inheriting the ancient charm of paper-cutting, but also constantly expanding its artistic boundaries, giving the works a unique charm that is both traditional and full of the atmosphere of the times.
The unique art form of "intangible cultural heritage" paper-cutting contains profound historical accumulation and cultural heritage, which is characterized by delicate and vivid expression, which originated from the ancient hollow art, and has gradually become an artistic treasure loved by the people after generations of inheritance and development. Whether in the bustling streets of the city or the fields of the countryside, the figure of paper-cutting is everywhere, it is not only the decoration of daily life, but also the core element of various folk activities. Paper-cutting artists use scissors to carve pieces of paper into various forms, and then create poetic artistic images through clever combination and collage techniques. In addition, "intangible cultural heritage" paper-cut works often carry rich cultural meanings, often using folklore and historical stories as themes, such as Chang'e running to the moon and Jade Rabbit worshipping the moon, so as to show the far-reaching connotation and unique charm of Chinese culture.
Especially during the Spring Festival, the paper-cut works of various themes such as the zodiac and the word "Fu" are widely used in home decoration, which is an important carrier to create a festive atmosphere, adding a strong festive color and profound cultural heritage to people's lives. In this year's Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon, Xi Xiaoqin used exquisite paper-cutting to light up thousands of lights again, telling the story of thousands of years with paper-cutting art, inheriting and carrying forward the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation.
Source: Shanghai Xuhui