Preserving an art form one cut at a time

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.