An Analysis of the Regional Art and Cultural Characteristics of Manchu Paper-Cutting in Northern China

Abstract

A true folk artwork is not only a gorgeous appearance, but also an unyielding national consciousness and emotion that forged this art style. Since ancient times, due to social development and class differentiation, primitive art has developed into literati art, court art, religious art, and then folk art, all of which were based on different concepts of art and culture, entangled in the long river of history and were constantly interconnected with each other, creating a whole national culture after having contradictions, connections. To this day, the pure artistic beliefs of folk art culture continue to provide a solid foundation for a relatively elegant art culture. The Manchu paper-cuttings in Xiuyan are not only the perfect crystallization of the historical art and culture created by the Manchu people living in the northeast; they are also the unique national art and cultural identity of the traditional Manchu folk art in Xiuyan. It is also an outstanding representative of the traditional folk art that characterizes Manchu’s homeland and Yudu in the northeast. These artistic treasures, which contain the wisdom of the people in the northeast, not only have important historical and cultural values but also have important artistic and scientific values. They are also the treasures of Chinese civilization. Nowadays, the paper-cutting art which has become a cultural brand, is quietly becoming a cultural commodity. It is providing an unique way for wide culture transmission. However, many different problems have also emerged throughout the development of the northern Manchu paper-cutting, such as the confusion in the form and artistic style, the induction of the content of relevant cultural materials and the development of heritage, etc. This paper analyzes the root causes of the formation of Manchu paper-cutting in northern China from the perspective of regional history, cultural beliefs, and so on, taking Xiuyan Manchu paper-cutting, which is representative of northern Manchu culture, as the subject. At the same time, it compares the artistic feature of Xiuyan Manchu paper-cutting with other similar works from other regions to clarify the regional cultural differences in the artistic style of paper-cutting in Xiuyan. The significance of paper-cutting is highlighted and the importance of developing and preserving traditional culture is also pointed out.