Tiger Carved Flowers Study Xiangxi Miao

As a special form of folk paper-cut art,Tahuzaohua, a traditional folk art and craft of the Miaopeople in West Hunan, with material forms and cultural connotations, embodies a variety ofinformation in historic and modern times. Using research methods of art folklore and history,based on the analysis of the graphic and oral materials gained through fieldwork, this paper probesinto its relevance to the Miao people’s costumes and regional culture, and draws a conclusion thatTahuzaohua is the fruit of cultural acculturation and exchange. Folk artists creatively used thepaper-chiselling patterns for embroidery patterns of the Miao costumes, so that the paper-cut couldmeet the Miao people’s decorative and aesthetic needs during the festivals, as well as thedevelopment needs for intricacy of the embroidery. It finally became the livelihood of some offolk artists who were expert in the arts and crafts, expanding the functions of paper-cutting. Interms of composition, the complicated style and delicate design add diversity to the embroidery.An analysis of the inheritance of Tahuzaohua shows a change of folk paper-cut previouslydominated by female artists, that is, a number of male craftsman appeared. Tahuzaohua developedfrom a primitive paper-cut into paper-chiselling through tool change and was eventually added tothe list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage to be urbanised and industrialised. As for thecauses for Tahuzaohua’s transformation, it was influenced more or less by a mix of thefundamental change in the production mode, the shift of cultural field coming along with people inrural areas flooding into cities, the cultural development need, the change of people’s leisure lifestyle and external environment, and foreign cultures. The understanding of Tahuzaohua of theinheritors, the backbone of those who inherit the arts and crafts, changed in a process with the riseof cultural awareness. These craftsman have changed from folk artists to peddlers, from naturallearners of paper-chiselling to active learners and protectors to keep up with the changingenvironment. New forms of Tahuzaohua has been constantly created by absorbing and referring tothe patterns, decorating techniques and marketing methods, which reflects the vitality of folkculture. Its success in transformation sets a good example for other national intangible culturalheritage.