Paper-Cutting 剪纸

窗花，是有各种颜色、各种图案的民间剪纸艺术品。这种富有民族特色的民间风俗已有上千年的历史。山西民间的剪纸，尤其是窗花剪纸，充满山西民间的乡土气息，浓郁的乡土风味。什么“喜鹊登梅”、“二龙戏珠”、“孔雀开屏”、“天女散花”以及各种花、卉、虫、鱼、鸟的图案，表示了农民对未来生活寄托的美好希望。
Paper-cuts for window decoration are folk artworks with various colors and patterns, which, with distinctive ethnic features, have a history of over 1,000 years. Paper-cuts in Shanxi, especially paper-cuts for window decoration, are full of rich local features typical of Shanxi. Diverse patterns of paper-cuts point to farmer’s beautiful aspiration for future life, such as “magpie on wintersweet”, “two dragons playing with a pearl”, “peacock showing its tail”, “heavenly maids scattering blossoms” and flowers, insects, fishes and birds.
剪纸，与立春这个节令有着密切关系，宋、元以后，剪贴窗花迎春的时间便由立春改为春节，人们用剪纸表达自己庆贺春来人间的欢乐心情。
Paper-cuts had a close link with the solar term Beginning of Spring and after the Song and Yuan Dynasties; the time for making paper-cuts for window decoration to welcome spring has changed from Beginning of Spring to Spring Festival when people express their joyful sentiment to celebrate the Festival.
山西农村，窗花的图案是多种多样的，内容是健康、纯洁、朴实而又写实的。当然，也寄托了人们的希望，想象，成为人们表达思想感情的一种方式。
In the countryside of Shanxi, the patterns of paper-cuts for window decoration are diversified with healthy, pure, plain yet true-life contents. To be sure, they showcase people’s hope and imagination and become a way to express people’s thought and feelings.
窗花的剪刻形式，一是单色剪刻，多用于大红纸剪纸，应用地区较广。二是套色剪纸，一股用于宫廷、商铺子的大窗或厅堂和门面的窗户。三是浮雕剪纸，流行于甘肃、青海一带，它将剪刻与纸叠工艺融为一体，风格别具。四是彩色窗花，又有染色和衬色之分。染色窗花以河北丰宁、蔚县所出最为出名。先刻后染，光彩明艳，光影效果极佳。衬色窗花以广东佛山所产最为著名，用金箔纸和锡箔纸剪刻出主体纹样，背衬各色彩纸，金碧辉煌、富丽典雅。这种做法叫做“铜衬料”。
There are four types of paper-cutting techniques. The first type is single color paper-cuts which are mainly red color paper-cuts and widely used in many areas. The second type is multi-color paper-cuts which are applied to huge windows of royal court and shops or windows of hall and shop front. Third, relief paper-cuts are popular in Gansu and Qinghai which, with exceptional characteristics, integrate cutting with paper stacking techniques. Fourth, color paper-cuts include dyeing and backing paper-cuts, with the first type made in Fengning, Yuxian of Hebei Province the most famous. Dying after cutting provides bright splendor and perfect light effect. Foshan, Guangdong Province produces the most well-known backing paper-cuts. Gold paper and silver paper are used to cut the pattern of main body with colorful paper as the back to reflect magnificence and elegance. The technique is also known as “copper lining”.
山东的窗花多直条，适合该地直棂窗；西北的窗花用“十”字将完整的剪纸分成四大块。为了不影响室内采光，窗花多为阳剪，以求得较多镂空的面积。窗花的外轮廓和窗架之间要求舒密有致、构图格式均衡。为追求清新、亮堂、明快的室内装饰效果，窗花剪刻多用细线造型，达到镂空玲珑的视觉效果。
Paper-cuts for window decoration in Shandong Province are mostly strips suitable for local mullioned windows; and those in northwestern China divide the complete paper-cut into four parts with “cross-shaped” character. In order to avoid any impact on interior lighting, paper-cuts are largely overt cuts to get more hollow-cut areas. The outline of paper-cuts and window frame shall have an orderly proportion and even composition. Paper-cuts are mainly made of linear configuration for a fresh, bright and lively interior décor effect and exquisite visual effect.