China News Service, Zhangjiakou, September 2 (Xiao Guangming and Hao Ye) In the eyes of Li Baofeng, paper-cutting is a skill that everyone in Yuxian County can speak out. The delicate and colorful paper-cutting is a vivid expression of northern folk customs. Reappear.
In the past decades, Li Baofeng, who has won numerous awards, attributed it to "good luck" and has grown into a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project "Yixian Paper-cutting", lamented, "Intangible cultural heritage can survive in modern society. It depends on the perseverance of the craftsmen. Only perseverance can we pass on."
Li Baofeng is drawing a paper-cut artwork.
Photo by Hao Ye
Cultural inheritance needs a carrier
The paper-cutting in Yu County was "carved".
Yuxian paper-cutting originated from the Ming Dynasty, and it is well-known inside and outside for its unique style and simple image.
At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the paper-cutting tool was reformed from "cut" to "cut", and gradually formed a new style of folk paper-cutting in composition, shape and color.
Entering Li Baofeng's studio in Yu County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, he is meticulously carving paper-cut works.
Ten sheets of thin white paper are lined up in layers, each cut of the carving knife is accurate and powerful, and the final point is dyed with bright colors, and a delicate and smart paper-cut work is ready to appear.
"Three-point knife work and seven-point dyeing", color is a major feature of Yuxian paper-cutting.
Li Baofeng said that Yu County is located at the junction of the three provinces of Mongolia, Shanxi and Hebei, and its diverse culture stimulates people's imagination.
The bold and colorful Yuxian paper-cutting has also become an important part of the local culture.
This is a tree flower, this is a running horse, this is a door knocker... Li Baofeng showed his works one by one.
According to reports, Yu County has a wide range of paper-cut topics, involving more than 6000 varieties of flowers, birds, fish and insects, mountains and rivers, folk customs, myths and legends.
In his creation, Li Baofeng not only incorporates the scenes of childhood life, but also draws on the characteristics of local folk customs. The works have profound meaning and strong life breath.
Among the major paper-cut schools in China, the characteristics of Yuxian paper-cut are the most distinctive.
Whether it is materials or tools, Yuxian paper-cutting has always been at the forefront of society, and is constantly changing with the development of science and technology, so it is also called living art.
Li Baofeng said that the paper-cutting in Yu County reflects the blending relationship between man and nature.
Cultural inheritance requires a carrier.
It is the continuous integration and injection of tradition and modernity that have allowed Yuxian paper-cutting to spread for centuries.
Li Baofeng is carving paper-cut works.
Photo by Hao Ye
Inheritors seek "change" to promote the rebirth of paper-cutting
As a native of Yuxian, the "paper-cutting gene" can be said to be flowing in Li Baofeng's blood.
Li Baofeng, who has a talent for drawing, has learned the art of paper-cutting since he was a child.
But he failed to catch up with the most prosperous time for paper-cutting in Yu County.
In the 1940s and 1950s, folk artists began to redesign and engrave Yuxian paper-cutting, and at the same time enriched tools, techniques and dyeing techniques, so that Yuxian paper-cutting got rid of the greenness of the stereotype period, and used composition, shape and color. Forming distinctive regional characteristics, Yuxian paper-cutting thus entered a mature period.
But later, with the objective requirements of market development and the loss of talents, the popular Yuxian paper-cutting gradually became less people asked.
Not reconciled to the decline of Yuxian paper-cutting, Li Baofeng began to learn painting under the painter Shen Cheng in 1986. In 1989, he entered the Yuxian paper-cutting factory as a designer.
Li Baofeng recalled that when he first arrived at the Yuxian Paper Cutting Factory, his salary was more than 80 yuan, but he had not risen until he left in 1999.
Although financial gains are limited, Li Baofeng said that the 10 years of working in a paper-cutting factory are the 10 years he has gained the most.
“The paper-cutting in Yuxian County was at a low ebb at that time, and the employees in the factory were able to sink their hearts to do paper-cutting.” Li Baofeng recalled that the paper-cutting factory in Yuxian County brought together many outstanding artists. He and the artists carried on the tradition to transform and reform the style. Enriched, and tried to integrate Chinese traditional farming culture and grassland culture into the works, pushing Yuxian paper-cutting to a new stage.
It is this 10 years of keeping a low profile and biding time that Li Baofeng has a good grasp of paper-cutting paper, dyes, carving knives and even mounting, and laid a solid foundation for the future.
In 1996, Li Baofeng began to design artwork for some handicraft factories. The velvet paper-cut crafts he designed were popular because of their novel styles and fine craftsmanship. The sales volume once accounted for 40% of the national sales.
Li Baofeng is showing the Winter Olympics paper-cut works.
Photo by Hao Ye
"Loyalty" is the soul of seeking art
After gaining fame, many people found Li Baofeng and learned paper-cutting skills from him, but after many setbacks, few remained.
Li Baofeng was helpless, "The social use of paper-cutting skills is low, and income sources cannot be guaranteed. A lot of time has to be invested in the early stage, which discourages many people."
What worries Li Baofeng even more is that the commercial market has had a tremendous impact on Yu County's paper-cutting, leading to the emergence of cutting corners, plagiarism, and machines pretending to be hand-crafted. At one time, many Westernized paper-cutting works appeared.
"Art emphasizes a word of'enlightenment', which not only refers to the spiritual perception of art, but also refers to the loyalty to art." Li Baofeng said that he is not opposed to commercialization, but opposed to commercialization away from the cultural core.
Art has categories, and works that are separated from traditional culture have no vitality.
Li Baofeng hopes that more people will join the ranks of the art of paper-cutting and reverse the situation of no successor to the inheritance of "intangible cultural heritage.
"It is the soul of learning and art that can resist poverty and loneliness. Art must be spread in an orderly manner, and money must not be earned, but the original intention is lost."
Respect for craftsmanship to pass on skills from generation to generation
In recent years, the industrial development of paper-cutting in Yuxian County has become quite large, and laser-engraving paper-cutting has become the choice of many businesses, and the development of paper-cutting in Yuxian County has therefore taken a different trend.
In this regard, Li Baofeng said that the handmade paper-cutting works are warmed by the craftsmen, but the machine is cold.
Today, Li Baofeng still retains the habit of washing hands before paper-cutting. He attributed it to "awe craftsmanship." "Paper-cutting has roots and seedlings. We must be heartfelt to the craftsmanship and let everyone understand the cultural awareness and cultural awareness that these crafts carry. National Spirit."
He has a new plan.
The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in front of their homes. Li Baofeng designed many paper-cut works with elements of the Winter Olympics for this, and added opera facial makeup, tiger head hats, zodiac and other elements in the design. Austria promotes the art of paper-cutting. As a folk art closely connected with life, I hope that paper-cutting in Yu County can show its unique charm and vitality to the world.” (End)