Xiong Chongrong, 73, a provincial-level inheritor of Yangzhou paper-cutting, shows his paper-cuttings featuring dogs to celebrate the Year of the Dog at his workshop on Jan 2, 2018./VCG PHOTO
Jianzhi, or traditional Chinese paper-cutting, often has a heavy emphasis on Chinese characters symbolizing the Chinese zodiac animals.
Listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, Chinese paper-cutting remains popular in contemporary China, especially during special events such as the Chinese New Year or weddings.
Yangzhou is one of the earliest regions where the paper cutting is popular. In the Tang and Song dynasties (AD 618-1279), people used to herald spring by cutting paper. As one of the most representative traditional culture elements, Yangzhou paper-cutting is well recognized by people nationwide.
During the Chinese Spring Festival of 2015, works by paper-cutting master Xiong Chongrong from Yangzhou city,Jiangsu province made debut in Switzerland and Sweden, showcasing nearly 700 traditional Yangzhou paper-cuttings in Europe.
