Yutian paper-cutting (selected into the fifth batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage list of Hebei Province in 2013) Folk paper-cutting art is the mother of all arts. From the painted pottery patterns of various cultural types in the Neolithic period (human face, human figure, unicorn, frog, cloud, sawtooth, net, etc.), the ancestors have shown their profound understanding and enlightenment of visual objects. Yutian paper-cutting has two types: cutting and carving, that is, cutting out various simple and bright patterns on paper, such as figures, flowers and plants, birds, beasts, insects and fish, for decoration purposes. Generally, red paper and pink paper are used as materials. The production process is: first, cut and fold the paper of various colors to be cut, and then cut with scissors. The cutting techniques are flexible and varied. Generally, the left hand pinches the paper and the right hand holds the scissors to cut the shape to cut out various lifelike figures. Finally, the cut works are smoothed and posted. Yutian paper-cutting production is mainly distributed in Shijiuwo Town, Yahongqiao Town and Yutian Town in Yutian County. Yutian County has a unique geographical environment, rich and profound cultural heritage, colorful folk traditional art and simple folk traditions, which laid a solid foundation for the occurrence, development and inheritance of paper-cutting art in the county. In the old days, paper-cutting had a wide range of uses, such as window paper-cuts, door signs, shoe flowers, bellyband flowers, dowry box flowers, longevity pillows, kang flowers, etc. It has rich cultural connotations, a deep mass base and strong vitality. After 1949, with the change of living customs, except for window paper-cuts, door signs, kang flowers, etc., which are still popular, most of them are used as works of art for people to appreciate. The works generally reflect a simple aesthetic concept and folk belief. Every time the Jingzhe solar term and the Dragon Boat Festival come, the skillful grandmothers in the village will cut some paper-cuts such as "rooster scorpion", "small scissors cut scorpion tail", "centipede", "lizard scorpion", "snake", "scabies-". It is said that pressing the paper-cut of "small scissors cut scorpion tail" in the corner of the pit or sticking it on the window can eliminate the bites of poisonous insects for a year. Paper-cuts on festive days include "round flowers", "Ruyi", "butterfly", "happy characters", "Suzaku", "peace (bottle) peace and harmony (lotus) beauty", "peace and longevity", and "Ben Gu Ji Rong". The front and side faces of paper-cut characters, especially the eyes of the side faces, occupy about half of the head, and the nose and mouth are delicately tilted on the contour line of the face. The local patterns on the paper-cut characters are generally cut out at will by symmetrical folding or multi-angle folding methods, including "sawtooth patterns", "crescent patterns", "plum blossom patterns" and various exquisite and elegant small flowers. Representative works include: "Little boy wearing open-crotch pants", "Master playing with a big knife", "Master with a cane", "Girl picking flowers", "Little playful woman wearing a mugwort hairpin", "Old man holding a fragrant purse", "Returning to her mother's home", etc., all of which are cut out first, and then various local patterns are gradually cut out according to the characteristics of the characters' costumes. Yutian's paper-cutting skills and shapes mainly show deep and skilled skills and techniques. The ancient charm is produced through the changes of yin and yang, square and round, hard and soft cutting lines. Its shape is rough but elegant; exaggerated but beautiful; simple but clever. The processing of paper-cutting techniques requires rich imagination to add a certain cultural color to achieve people's psychological satisfaction. It is this simple belief of the people that has triggered and continued the special complex of paper-cutting, making the paper-cutting art permeated with the personality of the spirit of freedom in its long history. Information source: Tangshan Municipal People's Government netizen Beijing Children provided the picture