Foreign students learning Intangible Cultural Heritage Paper-cut
Foshan China 2018-05-04 17:26

In Foshan, perhaps you haven’t been in touch with paper-cut , but you must have seen it! On the big transparent glass at the entrance of Guangfo Metro, a variety of paper-cut models are posted. "Paper-cut" combines the traditional and modern culture, and passengers can basically judge what exactly the site is and what the famous buildings are nearby by seeing the paper-cut far away.
 

 

Foshan paper-cut has both the vigorous style of northern area and the elegant advantage of southern area. In 2006, Foshan paper-cut was selected into the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
 

Foshan provincial inheritor Rao Baolian is a model worker in the field of paper-cut. During the May Day holiday, Rao was busy teaching Xinyi, a foreign student from Russia. Xinyi, who formed ties with Rao Baolian in 2012, was attracted by the National Intangible Cultural Heritage paper-cut, and later began to fall in love with it. Xinyi officially became a student of Rao Baolian in 2016. This time Xinyi hopes to follow her teacher to learn various types of paper-cut techniques so that more Russians will know and understand Foshan paper-cut art.

Rao Baolian is teaching her students 

Foreign students come to learn paper-cut from thousands of miles away


In the paper-cut studio, a large paper-cut has taken its shape. Rao Baolian sits in front of her workbench, holding a knife in her right hand, sonorously and forcefully demonstrating to the foreign student from Moscow, Russia, afraid of missing any details of the study.

Xinyi shows her work to the reporter

 

Xinyi is the first batch of Rao Baolians foreign students. In 2012, Rao was sent to Russian Cultural Center in China to teach Foshan paper-cut art. Xinyi was a student in one of the adult classes at that time. After several classes, Xinyi began to enjoy the art of paper-cut in Foshan.

 
Xinyis work Flying Sky


Hope them to pass on Foshan paper-cut when they return home


For the arrival this time, Xinyi expressed, Foshan paper-cut is a very exquisite art, but the Russians do not know much about it, so she hopes to come to Foshan this time to  carry the art back to Russia and pass on this culture in her country. Xinyi felt happy about going into the art gallery and following her brother and sister to study paper-cut art. "The artistic atmosphere here is rich. I always ask them questions and they are very patient, just like my family members, which makes me really happy. " Xinyi said.

In Moscow, Xinyi is an English teacher and an associate doctor in cultural science. After meeting Rao Baolian, she learned more about Chinese culture through Foshan paper-cut and became interested in Chinese culture.

   
"It commonly takes three months for a Chinese student to learn paper-cut in China, but it only takes three days to show Xinyi’s talent and hard work." Rao Baolian has great confidence in the foreign student from Russia. She hopes that once she has accomplished her studies, she will return to Russia to open her own paper-cut art museum, really popularizing the art of paper-cut to the life of Russians. This is a real way of heritage.

(Eleanor)