Preserving an art form one cut at a time
Ansai villager passes down knowledge to younger generations with scissors in one hand and inspiration in the other, Chen Nan reports.
Han Shu'ai is one of the students who began learning the craft with Yu in 1995. Han, 55, like Yu, grew up in a small village in Ansai and was intrigued by the art form since she was a child.
"At first, it seemed hard to learn all the details and symbols. As a housewife, I spent my spare time practicing," says Han.
"One of my first original works was a design featuring two cute chickens that I saw in my children's textbook. I turned them into paper-cuts and, unexpectedly, I won third place in a local competition. I received 500 yuan ($69) as a prize, which made me very happy."
Han was even happier when she won the opportunity to learn paper-cutting at Shaanxi Normal University in Xi'an in 2007. It was a one-month-long workshop, and Han says it fulfilled her dream of attending a university.
"Paper-cutting changed my life. I can show my creativity through the art form, which makes me feel more confident," Han says.
Chen Haili, 40, also a paper-cutting artisan from Ansai, started learning the craft in 2002. For her, the art form is a perfect fit because she is introverted.
