Art of papercutting shines in Shandong

In Linshu county – in Linyi city in East China's Shandong province – lies the home of Xiang Yuzhen, a proud inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of papercutting.

Papercutting is one of the most popular decorative Chinese handicrafts, that involves cutting intricate designs from paper using scissors or knives.

An exquisite example of papercutting created by Xiang Yuzhen. [Photo by Zhang Yun for chinadaily.com.cn]

According to Xiang, papercutting is a fusion of calligraphy, painting and incision skills. Her journey into the world of papercutting began when she was young and had a passion for painting.

Later, as a kindergarten teacher, she enjoyed decorating her classroom and it was during this creative process that she discovered her love for papercutting.

Since then, for over forty years, she's been deeply dedicated to the craft. Her works cover a broad range of themes – including cultural festivities, historical events, literary references, myths, legends, opera figures and zodiac animals – all reflecting the creator's love for life and yearning for happiness.

To help more people to get to know papercutting, she's collaborated with the Linshu County Library to offer free trial lessons, allowing the craft to thrive in the new era and become more integrated into modern life. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)