Xiuyan Manchu Autonomous County is located in the north of Liaodong Peninsula, connected to Fengcheng and Donggang in the east, Haicheng, Gaizhou and Yingkou in the west, Zhuanghe in the south and Liaoyang in the north. Xiuyan paper-cutting is one of the folk cultural heritages with artistic charm. Xiuyan paper-cutting is a folk cultural art gradually formed and accumulated by the Xiuyan Manchu people in the long-term social production practice. It is widely spread in the southern part of Xiuyan. 1. The historical origin of Xiuyan paper-cutting Paper-cutting has a long history in Xiuyan. The era when Xiuyan folk paper-cutting was truly formed was in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It was most popular during the Qianlong period. Its main creators were Manchu peasant women. The distribution area is wide, and there are paper-cutting authors in every village and town and even every family. For a long time, Xiuyan paper-cutting has been closely linked to Manchu folk customs. Whether in weddings and funerals, seasonal festivals, religious rituals and other activities, the highlights of Xiuyan folk paper-cutting are shining everywhere. 2. Basic content of Xiuyan paper-cutting Xiuyan folk paper-cutting art is a folk art with Manchu as its main feature. It has a history of nearly 400 years. For a long time, its existence and development have been closely linked to people's folk activities. Whenever people get married, they cut large double happiness characters with dragon, phoenix and mandarin duck patterns and paste them on the door, window and wedding car, and cut auspicious paper-cuts such as "twin lotus" and "happy marriage for a hundred years" to show joy. During the Spring Festival, every family cuts various "hanging notes", which are also called hanging flags and hanging money. They are about 40 cm long and 5 cm wide. Cloud-patterned calligraphy and paintings are engraved in the middle, such as the characters of prosperity, longevity and happiness. The lower end is cut into dog-tooth spikes and hung on the door and window banners or indoor halls. They are colorful and show a festive atmosphere. Paper-cuts such as "Lotus Year with Abundance" and "Peace Every Year" that are popular among the Chinese people, as well as window decorations with the contents of birds, animals, flowers, ancient and modern figures, etc., will also be posted on the windows of each household, giving people a feeling of excitement and joy. When the Dragon Boat Festival arrives, people cut gourds out of red paper and hang them on the door, and centipedes and other objects that symbolize avoiding plague are posted on the walls. If there is a funeral in a family on weekdays, they must use white paper to cut festivals, religious rituals and other folk activities. The shadow of folk paper-cuts flashes everywhere. On the other hand, paper-cuts are very close to people's daily lives. Patterns of embroidery on soles, uppers and clothing, kang surrounds, wall flowers, paper people and horses for worshiping Buddha, patterns for warding off evil spirits such as lions, tigers, chickens, cows, door gods, etc., it can be said that people's lives are inseparable from these native paper-cutting arts, which is the reason why paper-cutting art is endless. As an ornament to decorate life, folk paper-cuts have achieved people's transcendence to the realm of aesthetics. In terms of modeling skills, Xiuyan folk paper-cutting is based on the "basic patterns" accumulated by several or even dozens of generations and has been passed down for thousands of years. In terms of themes, traditional themes that are popular among Chinese people, such as happiness, longevity, dolls, fish, etc., as well as other "rules" passed down by the older generation, such as symmetry and 0, are also everywhere in Xiuyan paper-cutting. Birds and beasts that are closely related to people's lives during fishing and hunting, such as tigers, deer, bears, leopards, horses, wild boars, and local specialties of Xiuyan, such as tussah silkworms, have naturally become the enduring themes of Xiuyan paper-cutting, forming a unique expression content and artistic style. In the 1980s and 1990s, Xiuyan paper-cutting activities were very active. Paper-cutting competitions, paper-cutting exhibitions, creative classes and research classes were often held. Xiuyan paper-cutting works created thousands of good works every year. The works of Xiuyan paper-cutting artists have also participated in national, provincial and municipal paper-cutting exhibitions for many times. Nearly a thousand works have won first, second and third prizes and excellent awards at exhibitions at all levels, and nearly a hundred works have been collected by folk museums. 3. Related instruments, products and works 1. Scissors. Scissors are the main tool for traditional folk paper-cutting. There is no special production. They are just tools for cutting clothes used by ordinary families. 2. Carving knives. Carving knives are made by paper-cutting authors themselves. They are mostly used to hang flags and draw patterns to make paper-cutting works. 3. Paper. Paper is the main material for paper-cutting. Paper of various colors can be used. Xiuyan paper-cutting mostly uses red paper. 4. Works. There are many Xiuyan paper-cutting works, and the genres are relatively wide. The main works are: "Thousand Butterflies", which consists of a thousand butterflies of different shapes. "Water Margin Characters", composed of 108 Water Margin generals, the work is 10 meters long. Manchu works: "Ode to the Eight Banners", "Sitting Blessing", etc. IV. Inheritance genealogy Xiuyan's paper-cutting activities have a history of more than a thousand years. Even if the Manchus settled in Xiuyan, it has been more than 400 years. Referring to the recorded folk paper-cutting artists, we have summarized about 5 generations of inheritance relationships. The first generation representatives are Zhang Yuying, Geng Qingao, and Kong Zhaojuan. The second generation representatives are Guan Yuchun, Guan Baoguo, Zhao Xiuzhi, Hou Yongqin, Guan Shuqing, and Liu Jiying. The third generation representatives are Gao Xingming, Wu Wenfang, Qu Chengze, Yin Shulan, Tian Qisheng, Chen Guangze, and Ren Zuofu. The fourth generation representatives are Wang Keman, Li Yu, Wang Shuzhen, Qi Yumei, and Guan Yudong. The fifth generation representatives are Wang Jia, Wang Xinli, Tian Ying, and Zou Dawei. The main inheritors are: Liu Jiying, female, born in April 1939, from Shiban Village, Xindian Town, Xiuyan, is a well-known paper-cutting artist in Xiuyan. Her works "Thousand Butterflies" and "Hundred Butterflies" have been exported. The provincial TV station and Phoenix TV station have recorded Liu Jiying's paper-cutting skills and exchanged them with Taiwan TV stations. Liu Jiying's paper-cutting works have also won first prizes in national and provincial exhibitions many times. Ren Zuofu, male, was born in Shiban Village, Xindian Town, Xiuyan in 1959. He is the son of Liu Jiying. He learned paper-cutting from his mother Liu Jiying since he was a child. Now he has gradually formed his own artistic style. His works are full of characters and adopt a combination of realism and romanticism. The painting is full and delicate. Wang Keman, male, born in 1969, from Shihuiyao Township, became obsessed with paper-cutting in the 1980s. He spent almost all his spare time on paper-cutting. In recent years, his paper-cutting works have won many awards, especially the ten-meter-long "Water Margin Complete Map" won the gold medal in the "Zhongguang Cup" paper-cutting exhibition in Liaoning Province. Li Yu, female, was born in Xiuyan Town in 1968. She liked paper-cutting when she was in elementary school, and she was very good at it when she was in junior high school. The "Nine Dragons Map" she created won the silver medal in the Liaoning Provincial Paper-cutting Exhibition and won the first prize in the county paper-cutting exhibition many times. 5. Basic characteristics of Xiuyan paper-cutting After more than 400 years of historical evolution and our summary, Xiuyan paper-cutting has five characteristics: 1. The composition of Xiuyan paper-cutting is mostly symmetrical, round, four-sided, eight-sided and other folding cuts. 2. The shape of Xiuyan paper-cutting is rough, simple and simple. 3. The themes of Xiuyan paper-cutting are mostly based on the "bottom pattern" that has been passed down for thousands of years. Most of them are traditional themes that the people like to hear and see, such as blessing, longevity, fish and various birds and beasts, figures, landscapes, etc. 4. Compared with the paper-cutting in Guannei, especially the paper-cutting in Shandong and other places, Xiuyan paper-cutting generally feels simple and rough, and the techniques are informal and very casual. 6. The main value of Xiuyan paper-cutting Paper-cutting is an important part of Chinese folk art and occupies an important position in the study of folk art. Therefore, it has a high value. 1. Academic value: Paper-cutting is the oldest art form in China and a folk art closely related to people's lives. It has undergone a tortuous evolution process and formed the characteristics of the integration of Manchu and Han. Rescuing, protecting and paper-cutting have a high academic value for the study of folk art. 2. Practical value: Paper-cutting is a folk art that people cannot do without in their lives. Rescuing and protecting the art of paper-cutting will enable this ancient art to cross the boundaries of time and space, and play a positive role in promoting the advanced socialist culture and strengthening the construction of spiritual civilization. VII. Protection measures that have been taken 1. In early 2004, the county culture and sports bureau issued a document to hold a county-wide paper-cutting exhibition, and arranged and arranged the excavation, rescue and protection of Xiuyan paper-cutting. 2. In mid-2004, a county-wide paper-cutting exhibition was held, and more than 100 works were selected. 3. Xiuyan County Cultural Center and Zhuanghe City Cultural Center jointly held the "Xiuyan and Zhuanghe Paper-cutting Joint Exhibition". 4. At the end of 2004, the "Xiuyan Manchu Paper-cutting Art Collection" was published, and more than 200 paper-cutting works were selected. VIII. Measures to be taken by Xiuyan Excavation, rescue and protection of folk cultural heritage is a long-term work. Xiuyan cultural administration and business departments strive to complete the specific goals of excavating, rescuing and protecting folk paper-cutting in 5 years. 1. Establish an organization for excavating, rescuing and protecting Xiuyan folk paper-cutting, implement division of responsibilities, and collect traditional folk paper-cutting. 2. Survey, collect and organize the paper-cutting art heritage, the main creators, profiles and video materials, and establish a folk paper-cutting heritage database. 3. Publish academic works such as "Xiuyan Manchu Paper-cutting Collection", establish 12 township-level paper-cutting bases, train more than 200 new authors, and pass on Xiuyan paper-cutting art.