中国剪纸之首：“刻”出来的彩色窗花 | Chinese Paper-Cuts

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What is the "taste" of Spring Festival?

年味是什么？

For most Chinese, it means red lanterns at the doors, lucky characters on the walls and paper-cuts on the panes.

对于大多数中国人来说，“年味”是家门口挂起来的红灯笼、墙上红红的福字和窗户上贴的窗花。

For people in Yu County, Hebei Province, their special paper-cuts are an indispensable tradition during the Chinese New Year.

对于河北省张家口市蔚县的人来说，贴上特有的蔚县剪纸窗花，是他们新年习俗。

Zhang Haiquan, 56, is the fifth-generation leader of the northern school for Yu County paper-cutting. He has been crafting his designs for over 40 years. 

今年56岁的张海全，是蔚县北派剪纸的第五代传承人，他已经从事剪纸行业40多年了。

Zhang's childhood memories are filled with paper-cuts. 

"My friends and I would make the paper-cuts and sell them to buy firecrackers."

张海全对于新年的儿时记忆，就与剪纸有着千丝万缕的联系。“我和小伙伴们一起到上街卖做好的纸雕，用赚来的钱买鞭炮一起放。”

Now, he is happy to share his artwork with families and friends, sending his best wishes for the Spring Festival.

而现在，他也会在春节来临之际，将自己的剪纸作品送给家人朋友，也送出新年的美好愿望。

Dating back to the 6th century, the art form is a traditional handicraft that involves cutting elaborate designs into paper. It plays an important role in Chinese festivals and ethnic activities. The cultural connotations have made it one of the richest Chinese folk arts.

中国剪纸艺术起源于公元6世纪，用剪刀或刻刀在纸上剪刻花纹，用于装点生活或配合其他民俗活动，是中国民间文化内涵最为丰富的艺术形态之一。

Opera characters, historical tales, flora and fauna, landscape scenery, lucky patterns and activities from our daily lives all become the subjects of paper-cuts that grace window panes across China during the Spring Festival. It enhances the festive atmosphere, and conveys good wishes for the next year.

窗花的内容题材非常广博，戏剧人物、历史传说、花鸟鱼虫、山水风景、现实生活及吉祥图案都是窗花的表现内容。农历正月初一，贴窗花装饰居室环境成为中国春节喜庆活动的一个重要内容，既可以美化生活环境，又寄托了中国人辞旧迎新、接福纳祥的朴素愿望。

Paper-cuts in Yu County, which are actually more of a carving, date back to the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644). 

河北蔚县剪纸起源于明代，这种剪纸不是“剪”，而是“刻”。

"The Yu style paper-cut demands that 'the knife go with your imagination, and the hand with your heart.' It reflects the spirit and essence of the figures," Zhang says.

张海全说：“蔚县剪纸的特点讲究‘刀随其意，手随其心’，神、韵、气、精尽在其中。”

"Another feature of Yu County paper-cuts is detailed dyeing. A certain proportion of alcohol creates a better contrast."

他说：“我们蔚县剪纸另一大特色就是点染上色，兑上一定比例的酒精，比普通的颜色调剂清晰度高很多。”

Learning from colored drawings, local craftsmen use sharp knives to carve on rice paper, before dyeing it with bright colors. With the rich compositions and vivid patterns, Yu County has developed its own style. 

蔚县剪纸借鉴了民间彩绘，以宣纸为原料，用小巧锐利的手工刀刻制，点染明快绚丽的色彩，构图朴实饱满，造型生动优美，制作工艺在全国众多剪纸中独树一帜。

"Paper-cuts are for the festivals. I'd like to give some of my works to the lovely neighbors. It is endowed with the expectations for a better year. We should share the happy feelings with our family and friends."

“应节气，贴窗花。现在我做完剪纸也会送给街坊邻居一起沾沾喜气。因为纸雕这种东西就是把对新的一年美好的期待融入进去，传递给亲人、朋友。”

"Spring Festival is the time for family reunion. We hang the lanterns and paste the paper-cuts for window decoration. Our children are coming back for it. People are more than willing to be back home before New Year's Eve. I'm so happy when everybody is there for the reunion dinner."

过年就是举家团圆的日子，挂上灯笼，一贴窗花，孩子们就要回来了，年就来了。不管在哪里，多远上班，大年三十一定都会赶回来，大家吃这个团圆饭。这个过程，我觉得太幸福了。”

"When the Spring Festival came, people used to paste paper-cuts for window decoration, but that is now changing. The carving technique is making it more detailed and sophisticated. People would like to frame them to keep the festival feelings in the house."

“每年过年的时候，家家户户都会贴窗花。但是蔚县剪纸换了一种形式，用雕刻的方式把剪纸呈现得更细致。把剪纸作品装裱在框里，就像把过年的味道一直留住。”

The "taste" of Spring Festival is a vague concept. Chinese linguist Ji Xianlin once said that "Spring Festival is like a wisp of smoke, or the mist in the mountains. It cannot be touched, nor be seen. But when it lays a finger on your heart, you will know that it is coming."

“年味”其实是一个很模糊的概念。季羡林先生说：“年，像淡烟，又像远山的晴岚。我们握不着，也看不到，但当它走来的时候，只在我们的心头轻轻地一拂，我们就知道：年来了。

For Zhang, the paper-cut is just the "taste" of Spring Festival. It's his duty to preserve the tradition. That's what has kept him cutting for 40 years.

但对于张海全来说，窗花已经成为了“年味”的代名词，留住剪纸，就是留住“年味”。这使得他在民间剪纸艺术这个行业上，坚持了40年。

"From Chinese characters like 'xi (happiness),' animals and plants, to many complicated historical events, craftsmen are able to put almost everything in a single paper-cut."

“从简单的喜字、单个的动植物，到复杂的历史事件，在一张张简单的剪纸上都能体现。”

"I think the paper carving is not only for the Spring Festival. It carries and conveys the hope for a better life, which is also the charm of this folk art."

“我觉得纸雕不单单是过年。它表达的是人们对生活的寄托，通过剪纸传达给了别人。这一点也是民间剪纸的魅力所在。”

Chinese paper-cutting is like the evergreen. It has become a wonderful symbol of Spring Festival for Chinese people because of its popularity, practicality and aesthetics.

中国民间剪纸艺术，犹如一株常春藤。它的普及性、实用性、审美性成为了中国人心中，对于新春的吉祥象征。

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过年喽

Cameraman: Lv Jiabo, Zu Guangning

Film editor: Lv Jiabo

Story written by: Nie Yaqi

English editor: Matthew Arrington Watson

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