PAPER ARTS AND

KNOT TYING IN
CHINA
PAPER
WAS FIRST INVENTED BY CAI LUN OF THE EASTERN
HAN DYNASTY IN CHINA. IT IS INDEED ONE OF THE
GREATEST CONTRIBUTION OF ANCIENT CHINA IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTS.
 PAPER ARTS OF CHINA
PAPER CUT CHINESE KNOTS PAPER FOLDING PAPER KITES
CHINESE PAPER ARTS
CHINES FOLK ART IS CREATED WITH MATERIALS THAT ARE NATURALLY FOUND
WITHIN THE LOCALITY. THEY ARE NATURE LOVERS. FOLK ARTIST HAS BEEN
INSPIRED BY THE VALUES OF SIMPLICITY, IDEOLOGY OF THEIR COMMUNITY,
AND THE EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR
NATION. THE EARLIEST DOCUMENT SHOWING PAPER FOLDING IS A PICTURE
OF A SMALL PAPER BOAT IN AN EDITION OF TRACTATUS DE SPHAERA MUNDI
FROM 1490 BY JOHANNES DE SACROBOSCO.
IN CHINA, TRADITIONAL FUNERALS INCLUDE BURNING YUANBAO WHICH IS
A FOLDED PAPER THAT LOOKS LIKE GOLD NUGGETS OR INGOTS CALLED
SYCEE. THIS IS ALSO USED FOR OTHER CEREMONIAL PRACTICES. THIS KIND
OF BURNING IS COMMONLY DONE AT THEIR ANCESTOR’S GRAVES DURING
THE GHOST FESTIVAL.
SYCEE
IS A TYPE OF SILVER OR GOLD INGOT CURRENCY USED IN
CHINA UNTIL THE 20TH CENTURY. THE NAME IS DERIVED
FROM THE CANTONESE WORDS MEANING “FINE SILK”.
THE GOLD PAPER WAS FOLDED TO LOOK LIKE A SYCEE.
TODAY, IMITATION GOLD SYCEES ARE USED AS A SYMBOL
OF PROSPERITY BY CHINESE AND ARE FREQUENTLY
DISPLAYED DURING THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.
DECORATIVE CHINESE PAPER CUTTINGS
USUALLY SYMMETRICAL IN DESIGN WHEN
UNFOLDED AND ADAPT THE 12 ANIMALS OF
CHINESE ZODIAC AS THEMES AND MOSTLY
CHOOSE THE RED COLOR.
EARLIEST USE OF PAPER WAS MADE AS PATTERN
FOR LACQUERS, DECORATION ON WINDOWS,
DOORS, AND WALLS.
CHINESE BUDDHISTS BELIEVE THAT HANGING “WINDOW
FLOWERS” OR DECORATIVE PAPER CUTTINGS, LIKE PAGODAS
AND OTHER SYMBOLS OF GOOD LUCK, ATTRACT GOOD LUCK
AND DRIVE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS.
PROCESS OF PAPER CUTTING IS AIDED BY A PAIR OF SCISSORS
OR KNIFE AND OTHER FLAT CUTTERS.
JIANZHI IS THE FIRST TYPE OF PAPER CUTTING DESIGN, SINCE
PAPER WAS INVENTED BY THE CHINESE. THE CUTOUTS ARE ALSO
USED TO DECORATE DOORS AND WINDOWS. THEY ARE
SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS CHUANG HUA, MEANING,
:WINDOW FLOWER”.
 KITE MAKING
ORIGINALLY, KITE IS AN ASSEMBLED OR JOINED AIRCRAFT THAT AS
TRADITIONALLY MADE OF SILK OR PAPER WITH A BOWLINE AND A RESILIENT
BAMBOO. CHINESE KITES ORIGINATED IN WEI FANG, SANDONG CHINA WAS
THE CAPITAL CITY OF KITES DURING THE SONG DYNASTY (960-1279), AND BY
THE MING DYNASTY (1368-1644). SINCE 1984 THE CITY HAS BEEN HOSTING
THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL ON EARTH.
ACCORDING TO JOSEPH NEEDHAM, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE CHINESE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO EUROPE
IS THE KITE.
IN 5TH CENTURY, CHINESE PHILOSOPHERS MOZI AND LU BAN WERE SAID TO BE
THE INVENTOR OF KITES.
USES OF KITES
a)MESSAGE FOR RESCUE MISSION
b)FOR MEASURING DISTANCES
c) TESTING THE WIND
d)LIFTING MEN
e)SIGNALING
f) COMMUNICATION FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS
FOUR CATEGORIES OF CHINESE KITES
a) CENTIPEDE – REPEATED IDENTICAL SEGMENTS VISUALLY
COMBINE TO CREATE A TOTAL EFFECT.
b) HARD-WINGED KITES
c) SOFT-WINGED KITES
d) FLAT KITES
PERFORMANCE TASKS TO BE SUBMITTED
ON MONDAY NEXT WEEK. 10/14/2019
 EACH GROUP SHALL CREATE ONE DECORATIVE CHINESE PAPER
CUT DESIGN. USE RED ONLY.
 EACH GROUP MUST DESIGN A FLAT KITE AND MAKE IT FLY IN
THE CAMPUS DURING MAPEH TIME. (SIZE SHOULD BE
APPROVED BY SIR MAKI) (REFER TO YOUTUBE FOR GUIDE)
 EACH STUDENT WILL CREATE A MESSAGE FOR A FRIEND IN
CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY. (PLEASE SEE MUSIC AND ARTS LM PP.
271 AND 273 FOR SAMPLE OUTPUT) (USE A VELLUM BOARD
FOR THIS TASK)