The Chinese art of paper cutting has a long history. The earliest paper cutting was found in China in the Northern Dynasties. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has added the art, called Jianzhi, to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. But Jianzhi is in danger of disappearing. Voyo Woo, a Chinese immigrant (移民) to the US, hopes to bring the art back to life.
Ms. Woo loves paper cutting. And she works hard to celebrate the ancient art form. On a recent Saturday, Ms. Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center near Washington. She demonstrated the art to the crowds for hours at the center.
Ms. Woo began to study the art of Jianzhi as a 14yearold girl in her hometown in southeastern China. She said all the students at school had to learn the art. But she developed a special love for it, so her teacher gave her extra training after class. Later, she won the second prize in a national painting and handwriting competition. Ms. Woo came to the US after she finished college in 2008. Soon after, she became involved in an event to support and expand understanding of Chinese paper cutting. She has been invited to demonstrate the art at a wide collection of events. She has also shown her skill at famous museums like Sackler art galleries in Washington. Ms. Woo says paper cutting represents Chinese cultural values, history and stories of people's lives. She uses the art as a tool to present Chinese culture to people who know little about it.
Ms. Woo placed examples of her art around her as she demonstrated paper cutting at the shopping center. Some shoppers, like Ann Russ, took part in a workshop. Ms. Russ was struck by the finely detailed nature of the work. Ms. Woo says Chinese art is for all people. "It is amazing how Chinese art can echo (产生回响) with people from other cultural backgrounds," Ms. Russ says.
