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PrefacePapercutting,
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！
