Paper cut is a folk art enjoying great popularity among Chinese people. Thin line paper-cut, a distinctive genre of Chinese paper cut, originated from Yueqing, Zhejiang Province. According to local historical records, thin line paper-cut appeared and developed in the Southern Dynasty , thanks to the region's thriving economy and frequent exchanges with the outside world.

 'Dragon Boat Flower' with South China Beauty

Different from the plain and bold northern style, Yueqing thin line paper-cut features a delicate and exquisite style and a rich south China charm.

This paper-cut style has a history of some 700 years. It first appeared as decorations on dragon lanterns during lantern festival celebrations. As colored lanterns emerged and were widely used, thin line paper-cut was further developed.

Dragon boat lantern is a unique local craft of Yueqing. Dragon lantern celebrations will be held in every village during Chinese spring festival . Dragon lanterns of various styles are hanged up on dragon boats to ward off evils and pray for blessings. Aside from lanterns, thin line paper cuts with different patterns will also appear on dragon boats. Competitions will also be held to select best dragon boast lanterns. The key criterion is whether thin line paper cuts on a dragon boat are exquisitely made or not. Handicraftsmen pay attention to not only deticateness of the paper cuts but also their pattern diversity. Thanks to years of development, thin line paper cuts now feature various patterns, including flowers, birds and beasts, theatric figures, legends and landscape.

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