Historical Origin
When was paper invented?
The Western Han Dynasty
Besides paper, what are the two most crucial tools for paper-cutting?
Scissors and carving knives
In what occasions are "双喜" (double happiness) paper-cuttings commonly used?
Weddings and celebratory events.
What is the name of the paper-cutting technique that "only carves lines and retains the outline of the pattern"?
Relief Cutting
Which regional paper-cutting is known for its "exquisite, delicate and translucent" features and is praised as "embroidery among paper-cuttings"?
Yangzhou Paper-Cutting
In which dynasty did the custom of paper-cutting to summon souls spread among the common people?
Tang
What is the general name for the paper-cuttings pasted on windows during the Spring Festival?
Window flowers
What does a bat pattern symbolize in paper-cutting?
Blessings and good fortune (homophone for "福").
Contrary to relief cutting, what technique is used to "carve away the outline of the pattern and retain the background lines"?
Intaglio Cutting
Which paper-cutting school is characterized by a bold, unconstrained and exaggerated style, mostly depicting the folk customs of Northern Shaanxi?
Yan'an Paper-Cutting
In which dynasty did the handicraft art of paper-cutting mature and reach its peak?
The Ming and Qing
What is the name of the paper-cutting used for wedding decorations to imply a happy marriage?
Wedding flowers
What do the "pomegranate" and "lotus" symbolize in paper-cutting?
Pomegranate symbolizes numerous offspring and prosperity, while lotus symbolizes purity and integrity.
What is the name of the paper-cutting method that stacks multiple layers of paper and cuts them at the same time to improve efficiency?
Stack Cutting
Which provincial paper-cutting is good at depicting opera characters, has a full composition and often uses the "intaglio cutting" technique?
Shanxi Paper-Cutting
In which year were the new folk paper-cutting works from the northwest region first exhibited in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region?
1944
In which year was Chinese paper-cutting included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?
2009
What does the "dragon" pattern usually represent in paper-cutting? What does it represent when combined with a "phoenix"?
The dragon represents authority, power, and good fortune (often symbolizing the emperor). The dragon and phoenix together represent "龙飞凤舞" or "龙凤呈祥" (lóng fèng chéng xiáng), symbolizing a harmonious marriage or an extremely auspicious omen.
What is the common square tool used in paper-cutting to fix the paper and prevent it from shifting during cutting?
Wax Board
Which regional paper-cutting mainly features single-color works, mostly with themes of flowers, birds, fish and insects, and integrates the cultural characteristics of Chaoshan?
Chaoshan Paper-Cutting
Where were the earliest paper-cutting works discovered in China from the Northern Dynasties period?
Xinjiang
Given that red is the most commonly used paper color in paper-cutting, what is the main symbol of red in traditional culture?
Festivity and auspiciousness
What is the profound symbolism of a paper-cutting with "five bats" surrounding the character for "longevity" (寿)?
"Five Blessings Surrounding Longevity" (五福捧寿, wǔ fú pěng shòu). The "Five Blessings" from the Book of Documents represent longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue, and a natural death. The five bats surrounding the longevity character express the highest wish for both long life and complete blessings.
"Sawtooth patterns" is one of the most commonly used decorative patterns in paper-cutting. What textures do it represent?
Sawtooth patterns represent hair/leaf veins
Known as the "Hometown of Chinese Paper-Cutting", which county in Hebei Province has its paper-cutting works presented as national gifts to foreign heads of state?
Yuxian County