The Studv Of Paper-cutting Culture In Chenggong Area,Yunnan

Presently,local people face difficulties in the handing down,conservation,and development of local traditions on their own.In such a situation,the intangible cultural heritage system is indispensable.By placing traditional culture in the intangible cultural heritage system,the handing down,conservation,and development of these traditions can be carried out actively,creating a new relationship between local people and those cultural elements authorized as an intangible cultural heritage.Likewise,the relationships between people and related cultural elements would also repeatedly change according to the changes in the environment and the evolution of the cultural elements themselves.According to some references,after the 13 th century,many Han people began to migrate from the Central Plains,including parts of the Huanghe River,as well as the Jiangnan region south of the Yangtze River.It is said that these people may have brought with them the papercutting custom that is held in Yunnan today.It means that the traditions of paper-cutting in Yunnan originated outside of the region.Among the Han paper-cutting customs in Kunming city,the paper-cuts in Chenggong area are the only one to be recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Yunnan province in 2013,and named as “Chenggong Paper-cuts”.Within Han paper-cutting in the Chenggong area of Kunming,there are two main forms.These include patterns for embroidery,and those applied over paper m(?)ché as used in the local folk-belief activities.This study concerns the paper-cutting customs of Han people in the Chenggong area,with the main purpose being an examination of the relationships between local people and paper-cutting.To begin,paper-cuts in the local people's life were related with various elements in their culture.In this way,the relationships between the people and the paper-cuts in their culture was examined,to better understand the meaning,or position,of the paper-cuts in the context of the culture as a whole.In exploring the paper-cuts as local culture,it is important to not only focus on the paper-cuts themselves,but also to relate them to the various cultural factors surrounding them.For this purpose an "emic" perspective,in which the thinking of the local people and the associated meanings are examined,is necessary.Therefore,analytical methods of cognitive and symbolic anthropology were utilized.In this way,it is made possible to examine the paper-cutting culture not only through the externally visible customs,but also through symbols and the cognitive world usually concealed within the culture,such as words.These methods are useful for gaining an understanding of the cultural elements themselves from an inside perspective.At the same time,for discussing the suitable ways of the handing down,conservation,or developing activities for that cultural things,it is important to understand itself at first.Prior to any discussion of suitable methods for handing down,conservation,or development of that cultural element,it is vital to understand that cultural element itself,at first.Then,using the Chenggong paper-cuts as an example of intangible cultural heritage,the study of intangible cultural heritage is examined,discussing the handing down,conservation,and developmental activities associated with such.The contents of the local customs of paper-cuts and those recognized as an intangible cultural heritage are compared and contrasted to understand the influences and changes effected by recognition as an intangible cultural heritage.The traditional perspective in material cultural study takes people as its subject,considering materials as symbols to be unilaterally given meaning,or as tools that have a practical effect on living.This relationship is usually fixed,but if it is reversed so as to take the material as the subject,then the meaning of that existence and its relationship to people is seen to be affected by the differences of the environments it exists in.In considering the meaning and relationships as understood from this perspective,the original facts and dynamics of paper-cutting become apparent.In this study,both perspectives are used.Looking through the perspective of people as the subject,examining paper-cuts in Chenggong reveals how they reflect the desires of its producer,and what could be the symbols and representations of the mental world of the crowd of users.Then,using the perspective of the materials as the subject it is understood how the existence of paper-cuts allow people to reduce the stress of work,express their desires and beliefs,communicate with ancestors or deities,and complete their purposes smoothly.Additionally,there are kinds of paper-cutting related to religious activities that are avoided in everyday life,such as those involved in funerals and certain religious rituals.However,when these events take place,the relevant paper-cutting is suddenly a necessity in these infrequent situations.In this way,the meaning of the papercutting is changed by the differing perspectives and the surrounding environment.Still,regardless of the varying environments and contexts,forms and styles,or material differences,the existence of paper-cutting is ubiquitous,and the role of paper-cutting as a necessity in the lives of local people does not change regardless of the situation.While they share the same name as “Chenggong Paper-cuts”,the contents of the papercuts in local traditional culture and those of the intangible cultural heritage differ.Lately,a lack of successors and other factors have made it difficult for local people to conserve the local paper-cutting customs on their own.In the future,the use of the intangible cultural heritage system could be the main means by which the handing down,conservation,and development of these local traditions are conducted.In utilizing the intangible cultural heritage system to protect local cultural traditions,we have to recognize that the nature and contents of the cultural traditions conserved by means of intangible cultural heritage activities differ from local cultural traditions.In fact,the concept and system of intangible cultural heritage is not well known among local people in Chenggong.It would seem that the local people and paper-cutting craftsmen in Chenggong do not yet recognize the importance of their traditional paper-cutting culture.In the handing down,conserving,and development of local traditions as well as revitalization of the local area,what is most important is the support of the local people,as they are the main inheritors of local traditions.Therefore,it is necessary to support local people and paper-cutting craftsmen in reaffirming their understanding of the local paper-cutting culture,rediscovering its appeal and worth,and to further encourage their motivation to conserve and pass down their traditions.