Pingyao paper-cuts

Paper-cuts were relatively prevalent in the county from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to the years of the Republic of China. The general forms included paper-cuts for window decoration, ceiling decoration and lantern decoration. The patterns were diverse, such as “the rabbit twisted by the snake,” “a smiling pomegranate with a hundred seeds,” “the toad plays the reed-pipe wind instrument,” “the magpie is on a plum blossom tree,” “a couple of mandarin ducks swim in the water” and “a happiness paper-cut” composed of flowers. The paper-cuts for marriage include “longevity and health,” “love forever,” “arriving happiness,” “good luck” and other patterns. After the People’s Republic of China was founded, the paper-cuts always occupied one position in each art exhibition held by the culture museum.

Recommended shops: Ancient City Paper-Cuts (production can be seen live) at No 56, Zhengfu Street; the Paper-Cuts Center on Western Pingyao Avenue.