Wuji paper-cutting boasts a long history and has become a folk art treasure for generations. It consists of three divisions: women paper-cutting, craftsmen paper-cutting and literati paper-cutting.
Paper-cutting works are widely used as decorations for holiday celebrations, weddings, birthdays and funerals. It prevailed at the beginning of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when lantern shows were also popular during the Spring Festival. It became a fashion to paste paper-cuttings on lanterns.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, also known as the Lantern Festival, people would select the best lanterns and formed lantern group consisting dozens or even hundreds of people to parade around. During the event, people not only enjoyed the display of various lanterns, but they also admired the paper-cutting works on the lanterns. The best lantern-maker would receive praises and respects from neighbors. The celebrations lasted till the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).
Currently, the outstanding works of Yang Sumiao, an inheritor of Wuji paper-cutting, including the fish lantern pattern, rabbit lantern pattern and frog lantern pattern, represents the best of Wuji paper-cutting.
At its peak, the popularity of lantern festival in the past attracted a great numberof people to join in the paper-cutting activities, most of whom were women expert in needlework, professional craftsmen and literati painters. A large amount of outstanding works were created, promoting the development of Wuji paper-cutting.
However, since it was rooted in the ancient times, many paper-cutting artists and their works are difficult to identify. The only one that was documented is Li Rongjie (1854-1926), a native of Donghoufang village in Wuji county. As a master of needlework, she was born in a rich family and later married Yang Lazao who was good at painting and calligraphy. Their combination enabled Li’s paper-cutting skill to reach a higher level and generally developed into her unique style. Li’s son Yang Gengzhong, daughter-in-law Wang Xiuting, and her granddaughter Yang Sumiao inherited her family skills and spread it nationwide.
Yang Sumiao (1908 – 2000) was able to cut flowers and birds at the age of six. She created nearly 10,000 works in her lifetime, some of which not only won awards at provincial and national exhibitions, but also were collected by the National Art Museum of China and many overseas collectors. In the past 150 years, the works of Li Rongjie and Yang Sumiao have made significance and far-reaching impacts on promoting the development of Wuji paper-cutting.
Researches on Wuji paper-cutting began in 1998. It was added to Hebei provincial intangible cultural heritage list in 2006. Since then, the government has put much emphasis on the study of Wuji paper-cutting and reorganized the literati paper-cutting skills through discussions with local artists and the collection of historical materials. Some exquisite copies of Yang’s literati-style works were collectedand exhibited, gaining acknowledgment andpraises at home and abroad.
Though it may be quite difficult to identify the specific category or style of existingpaper-cutting artists’ skills and works, all of them reflect the marvellous art style and traditional characteristics of Chinese art. At present, representatives of Wuji paper-cutting art include Ren Licong, Wang Zhiru, Yu Weiling, Zhao Yuqin, Niu Shimin, Wang Fenmian and Li Zhi, all of whom boasting high-level skills of paper-cutting and spreading the culture to Macao and South Korea.
