Talented paper-cut artists are a rarity these days, since the work is time- consuming and faces competition from a legion of modern decorative items. Taipei's most esteemed paper-cutter, Lee Huan-chang (李煥章), is a former elementary school teacher and principal. He is now 71 years old, and has never sold his work.
"Sometimes people offer me a lot of money for one of these," he says, pointing to a couple of delicately carved paper-cuts. "But if I sell it it's gone forever." Back in the mainland Chinese province of Shantung (山 東省), his family belonged to the educated class and included many talented artists.
He says he began cutting paper characters for his sisters to embroider. "One day I saw a girl cutting paper," he says. "I asked her to teach me. From then on I became a human copy-machine, cutting characters for the girls."
When the Communists took over the mainland, Lee moved to the Taipei area. He has taught his art to thousands of school children and their teachers during his career in Taiwan, ensuring the continuation of his craft through another generation. Several of his apprentices have attained distinction; but asked if there are many as good as himself, the master grins and shakes his head.
"Most people these days are busy making money," he says. "You can't do this work for money. You have to love cutting paper, and practice for a long time to reach a really high level." Then he adds, "But there are a lot of people who can cut pretty well."
Nimble Fingers
A simple paper-cut is child's play, really. Fold a piece of paper in half, cut a half-circle, and cut out a half-square in the center. Unfold the paper and you have an old-fashioned Chinese coin, symbolizing prosperity. (Through the square hole, a string was passed in days of old, allowing many coins to be carried together in a "string of cash.")
From such humble beginnings, a student of paper-cutting may progress to designs which represent Chinese characters. The paper must be folded several times and snipped with dexterity. When unfolded, these characters may even be very complex--some even three-dimensional.
A holder of the nation's highest artistic award, Lee uses scissors, razor knives, and hole punches to follow the ancient concept of negative and positive forces (yin/yang 陰陽), to leave just enough paper in the design to hold it together and suggest shapes.
Lee uses a wide variety of papers to interpret different scenes. For New Year paper-cuts, however, the preferred color is red, which suggests a vigorous beginning to the New Year.
The Chinese have a thousand-year-old tradition that involves pasting pairs of vertical, one-line poems on either side of a doorway at New Year. This tradition began around 2,000 years ago with a legend about two brothers who specialized in catching ghosts. In time, pictures of each brother were pasted to doorways to scare away evil spirits. These in turn gave rise to a tradition of pasting auspicious sayings to attract good fortune and ward off e
These days, though most people live in apartments, quite a few Taiwanese families still post these festive couplets to their doors, not only to bless the home, but also to offer good feelings to all who enter. A common pair of banners reads: "Heaven adds another year of time, and people add another year of life; Spring comes to the world, bringing best wishes to the doors" (天 增歲 月 人增壽, 春 滿 乾 坤 福 滿 門).
A good New Year's couplet plays one line against the other with poetic techniques such as rhyme and alliteration. The meanings should be compatible as well. Often the first word of one line has a relationship to that of the other line. Skillful couplets may include puns, since the same sound often has several meanings in Mandarin Chinese.
A Blessing for All
Chang says, "Unlike some calligraphy, the couplet's actual content is its most important aspect. The message must be cheerful and optimistic. 'New Hope,' 'Spring is Coming,' and 'Get Luck' are appropriate. The words themselves must also be written in a generous and happy way--not with thin lines or a severe style --since everyone who enters the house will be affected."
Chang's couplets fetch NT$50,000 to NT$100,000 a pair, and he often has orders for specific ancient poems. Still, he frequently gives away auspicious calligraphy to friends. The R.O.C. Calligraphy Association also sponsors events to share this ancient tradition with everyone, rich or poor.
To honor the New Year, members of the association will be penning calligraphy, including couplets, and distributing their work free of charge on Feb. 1, 1997 in the foyer of the Taipei Railway Station. On Feb. 1 and 2, you will be able to buy New Year's calligraphy quite cheaply at the Weekend Jade Market on Chienkuo South Road, where artists will write couplets to customers' specifications. Printed couplets are available cheaply at the stationery shops along the famous Tihua Street in West Taipei.
Master paper-cutter Lee and some of his finest works, including a giant water buffalo paper-cut to usher in the Year of the Ox, can be seen from Feb. 4 to 11 at the Huai-en Gallery of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
Copyright 1995 Vision International Publishing Co.