Paper-cutting (Xindu paper-cutting, Wang Xiuying paper-cutting, Jin Gaokun paper-cutting) is a traditional art project in the second batch of representative projects of municipal intangible cultural heritage in Huai'an. Historical origins Paper-cutting and paper-carving are different in that some use scissors and some use carving knives when creating. Although the tools are different, the artistic works created are basically the same. People usually call them paper-cutting. Paper-cutting is a hollow art that gives people a sense of transparency and beautiful artistic enjoyment visually. The earliest paper-cutting works in my country were several round flower paper-cuttings discovered by Chinese archaeologists in the Astana ancient tombs in the Northern Dynasties (386 AD to 589 AD) near the Gaochang site in the Turpan Basin of Xinjiang since the 1950s. They were made of hemp paper and were all folding paper-cuttings. Their discovery provides physical evidence for the history of the formation of paper-cutting art in my country. Paper-cutting was already in a period of great development in the Tang Dynasty. There is a sentence in Du Fu's poem "Warm water washes my feet, paper-cutting calls my soul", and the custom of calling souls with paper-cutting was already popular among the people at that time. The papermaking industry matured in the Song Dynasty, and there were many kinds of paper products, which provided conditions for the popularization of paper-cutting. For example, it became a "firework" for folk gifts, a "window paper-cut" pasted on the window, or used for the decoration of lanterns and tea cups. The application scope of paper-cutting gradually expanded. The Jizhou Kiln in Jiangxi used paper-cutting as a pattern for ceramics, and made the ceramics more exquisite through glazing and firing. The folks also used paper-cutting to carve the skins of animals such as donkeys, cows, horses, and sheep into the figures of shadow puppets. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the art of paper-cutting matured and reached its heyday. The application scope of folk paper-cutting handicrafts was more extensive. All the flower decorations on folk lanterns, the patterns on fans, and the patterns of embroidery, etc., were all processed by using paper-cutting as decoration. The paper-cutting in Huai'an area was also introduced from other places during this period and took root and spread throughout the city. Content and characteristics Paper-cutting is basically distributed in Huaiyin District, Hongze County, Xuyi County and other places in Huai'an City. It is closely related to people's lives. Every time there is a festival, people will make paper-cutting, which not only beautifies the living environment, but also expresses their wishes for good luck. If there are happy events such as marrying a daughter-in-law or marrying a daughter, paper-cutting will also be made to celebrate. The basic procedures of paper-cutting are composition and production. Composition: Design the pattern and design the shape according to the needs. Production: Cut it according to the pattern shape. Paper-cutting works in various parts of Huai'an City have common characteristics such as diverse forms, wide range of themes, and full composition. Due to different environments and creators in various places, they also have their own characteristics. For example, the paper-cutting in Xindu, Huaiyin District belongs to the typical Jiangsu and Zhejiang style, with fine, smooth, beautiful lines and delicate shapes. The works mainly include window flowers, door stacks, lamp flowers, wedding flowers, sleeve flowers, bellyband flowers, shoe flowers, insole flowers, curtain flowers, pillow flowers, etc. The paper-cut works in Hongze County integrate rural life scenes, and are simple and rustic with a strong local flavor. The contents of the works are mainly based on the production and life scenes of farmers and fishermen, seasonal customs, and folk stories, such as stepping on water wheels, scooping water, building thatched houses, carrying children to the market, rolling iron rings, Chang'e flying to the moon, Cowherd and Weaver Girl, and flooding Sizhou. The style of paper-cut works in Xuyi County is similar to that of northern paper-cut works, with the characteristics of being simple, rough and unrestrained, simple and bright. The works are rich in content and auspicious, mostly folk customs, such as magpies making a fuss about plum blossoms, lotus giving birth to a son, unicorn giving birth to a son, mandarin ducks circling lotus, butterflies playing with peonies, and surplus every year (fish). The tools for paper-cutting in Huai'an area are mainly scissors and carving knives. Paper is generally made of printed and dyed red paper, and there are also rice paper and homemade wax paper of various colors. Paper-cutting is full of rural flavor and local characteristics. The creative themes are derived from life practice. Its unique popularity, practicality and aesthetics cater to the psychological needs of the people. It not only has certain ornamental and collection value, but also has certain reference value for studying local customs and folkways.