Female inheritor embraces innovation to pass on Taiyuan paper-cutting

At a traditional paper-cutting art institute in north China's Shanxi Province, Wang Yinfeng deftly maneuvered a pair of scissors to skillfully craft a snake-themed paper-cutting work of the Chinese character "Fu," which means "good fortune," in less than 20 minutes.

Wang Yinfeng works on a paper-cutting work. (Photo/Wang Fan)

Taiyuan paper-cutting boasts a history spanning over 2,000 years, and was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2021.

Wang, a representative inheritor of this traditional art form, has recently been recognized as a national-level representative intangible cultural heritage inheritor.

For Wang, innovation has become inseparable from her design process. She can use an ultra-thin stainless steel foil as thin as 0.015 millimeters to create a "paper-cutting" work of Taiyuan's iconic twin pagodas at the famous Yongzuo Temple. She can also transform red silk and paper into butterfly brooches for dresses, "Fu" character designs on ceramic bowls, cartoon character stickers for weddings, and paper-cut reproductions of ancient paintings.

When creating intricate paper-cutting works, Wang employs a set of carving knives. This technique of combining scissors and carving tools reflects the fusion of paper-cutting styles in northern and southern China.

"I outline the shapes with scissors and then refine the details with carving knives—this is what makes Taiyuan paper-cutting unique," Wang said.

Wang developed her love for paper-cutting in childhood, inspired by her mother. In her memory, the festive spirit of Chinese New Year was vividly embodied in the windowpanes adorned with red paper-cuts.

After graduating from university, Wang worked as an accountant. Her turning point came when a friend needed traditional Chinese gifts for a trip to Canada. Wang created a set of zodiac paper-cuts in vibrant red. Upon returning, her friend asked for more paper-cuts because Wang's works were so popular. The enthusiastic reception from foreign friends and overseas Chinese filled Wang with excitement, inspiring her to transform her childhood hobby into a lifelong career.

Photo shows Wang Yinfeng's cultural and creative works themed on the Chinese AAA video game "Black Myth: Wukong." (Photo/Wang Fan)

Wang couldn't bear to let Taiyuan paper-cutting remain confined to windows. "People's lifestyles, aesthetic preferences, and living environments have all changed. If paper-cutting doesn't evolve with the times, it will gradually be eliminated from the market," she said.

To Wang, only by integrating Taiyuan paper-cutting into daily life—considering target customers and usage scenarios during creation while adapting to contemporary aesthetic shifts—can effective inheritance be achieved.

While demand for traditional window decorations has decreased, the need for home decor remains constant, which has led to new applications of paper-cuts.

Recognizing the potential for paper-cuts as gifts, Wang and her husband have developed paper-cut souvenirs including gift albums, lamps, fans, and creative bookmarks. Following the popularity of the Chinese AAA video game "Black Myth: Wukong" and the film "Ne Zha 2," Wang created derivative artworks, which quickly sold out.

Wang has also decided to pursue high-end collectibles through paper-cut reproductions of ancient painting masterpieces.

She spent over 20 years creating seven different versions of paper-cut reproductions of "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival," a painting masterpiece by Zhang Zeduan from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Her seventh iteration of the reproduction, prominently displayed in her studio, took three years to complete.

Photo shows part of Wang Yinfeng's paper-cut reproduction of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival—a painting masterpiece by Zhang Zeduan from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). (Photo/Wang Fan)

A representative intangible cultural heritage inheritor must create products that meet market demands while fulfilling the responsibility to protect and pass on traditional crafts, according to Wang.

"A paper-cutting artist's career is finite, so while my physical condition still allows, I want to create more works like ancient painting reproductions that capture the beauty of traditional culture, and pass them on to future generations," she said.

To pass paper-cutting down through generations, Wang recognized the importance of starting with children. "Once children develop interest and master the fundamental skills, they'll maintain a lifelong connection to paper-cutting," she noted.

Since 2013, Wang has partnered with primary and secondary schools across Shanxi Province and cultural centers in Taiyuan, introducing Taiyuan paper-cutting to classrooms for over a decade. Additionally, she has led her dozen-plus apprentices in teaching sessions.

This year, Wang is preparing to provide complete paper-cut decorations for multiple domestic and international venues while exploring partnerships with e-commerce platforms like Amazon to promote Taiyuan paper-cutting works in overseas markets.

While refining her innovative approach, Wang said she will continue doing everything possible to promote the profound art of paper-cutting to a wider audience.