Easy Creations with Chinese papercuts
What are Chinese papercuts?
Papercut is an art form originally created in China. Around the first century A.D., the Chinese invented that most flexible, versatile and adaptable of materials -- paper. The first papercut can be traced date back to the period known as the Northern and Southern Dynasties (A.D. 386-581). In the T'ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906) papercuts are the subject of a poem by the poet Ts'ui Tao-yung and from other sources of this period they are described as being used to decorate plants and worn by ladies in their hair in form of butterflies and flowers.
Papercuts are hand-cut either with scissors or knives out of thin tissue-like paper. The designs are handpainted or dyed.
The basic process is outlined below on this page. For step by step instructions, click on the pictures below.
