Papercutting in Jiaodong

People in Jiaodong refer to papercuts as “flowers”, the making of which involves the processes of cutting, engraving and coloring. Laiyang County Chronicle, compiled during the reign of Emperor Wanli (1573—1619) of the Ming Dynasty, records the then New Year celebration of “pasting papercuts onto lanterns and colored paper onto door lintels”. It’s been a century-old tradition for households to adorn their windows with papercuts and their door frames with couplets on New Year’s Day or other festivals. Jiaodong papercutting features a rich variety of forms and styles, with colored window flowers and hanging curtains being the most spectacular. Each outstanding Jiaodong colored papercutting is an original work of artistic creation.