An Introduction Of My Experience With Paper-cutting

• By tingxi zhang from Guangdong experimental high school

Paper-cutting is an traditional Chinese art form, which has a long history that can be traced back to the Xizhou Dynasty. I have learned paper-cutting for more than 10 years, and when experiencing this traditional Chinese skill, I can feel the culture behind the skill and the wisdom of working class.

When I was young, my mother often pasted exceptional red paper-cutting on the window. When sunlight shore into the house, the fantastic shadow of the pattern made me feel amazed and impressed, which grew a seed in my heart. When I was 7 year old, I started to learn paper-cutting formally. At first, it was very difficult for me to control the scissors well, so the final paper I made was far different from what it looked like in the book. Sometimes a small mistake can lead to a piece of ruined paper. However, “Practice makes Perfect”, with a lot of hard work, the work I made become better and better.

When I grew older, I went to an orphanage to delight children there with some work made by me. I also taught them how to made it. Seeing the happy smile hanging on their faces, I found that I had used Chinese traditional skills to generate some social value. When I went to England, I sent one of my work to a taxi driver. He was fascinated by my skills and appreciated our rich culture. At that time, I felt I was just like acting as a culture messenger building a bridge between China and foreign countries.

This is the story between paper-cutting and me. It is a good way for me to relax myself and express my thoughts, and I can gain a lot mental value from it. What’s more , paper-cutting is a window for me to gain an insight into our culture and history. I will proceed to make paper-cutting, share it with other people, and pass it onto the next generations.

Thank you for your listening!