Table of Contents

Introduction
Tools and Materials
Scissor Cutting
Knife Cutting Combined with Scissor Cutting
Create Your Own Designs from Real Life
Tools and Materials Suppliers

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Preface
Papercutting, as one of China's most ancient art forms, has taken root and spread far and wide on the Chinese soil. It was through the influence of this art that my father became an outstanding papercutting artist. When I was a child, I would often see my father working hard at his delicate cutouts without a break by the dim light of a desk lamp. I was so curious that I would pick up the bits of paper he had cut off and dropped on the floor, hold and look closely at them in the light, and draw in the mind pictures of my future papercutting works. At last I took up a pair of scissors and began to carve out a career for myself in papercutting.
This book is a sum-up of my 40-year career as a papercutting artisan, and tells foreign friends who take an interest in Chinese papercutting of what I have experienced and learned. I hope readers of this book will learn to make papercuttings with Chinese or foreign flavor and use these papercuttings in their life in China or in their own country. And when they have learned to do the typical projects described in this book, I also hope readers will be able to cut out their own creative designs by applying the same method to ordinary objects in everyday life with the simplest instruments——scissors and paper. That will make you an observant and meticulous person, who pays close attention to every detail of life and captures every touching moment and scene.
Whichever country I have been in and whatever change has occurred in my living environment, I have always had in my work and life this art of papercutting and this awareness of life for company. I think papercutting is part of traditional Chinese art but nevertheless it is to be acquired by all people regardless of their nationality. Art has no borders in our modern society. To master an exotic artistic skill is to realize self-worth and self-ability. Besides, you have to put your heart and soul into the making of a cutout which requires patience, carefulness and concentration, and coordination of the mind, the eye and the hand. Therefore papercutting may release you from the stress of your job and enrich your life. Also, this craft needing the use of the hands may be good to your health. To conclude, I hope this book will help you grasp the basic skills and techniques of Chinese papercutting and produce your own excellent works full of inspiration. Innovation and imagination know no bounds. Wish you success in papercutting！