To deepen international students' experience and understanding of fine traditional Chinese culture, Liupanshui Normal University organized a paper-cutting cultural experience activity themed Blooming Fingers, Encountering China in Classroom H210 of Hanxue Building on December 4th. The activity was specially guided by teachers from the College of Art.
Centering on the theme Blooming Fingers, Encountering China, the guiding teacher elaborated on the historical context of paper-cutting as an intangible cultural heritage of China. With the teacher's display of paper-cut images of China's Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs, international students intuitively felt the diverse charm of paper-cutting art.
In the demonstration and teaching session, the guiding teacher started with basic steps and gradually showed the creation skills of zodiac patterns — from the method of pasting paper, to the key points of line drawing, and then to the processing of hollowed-out details. Each step was clearly explained and demonstrated at a slow pace. In response to international students' questions, the teacher patiently explained in simple and understandable language.
Entering the hands-on creation session, students began their work with one-on-one assistance from teaching assistants. Some carefully reproduced the demonstration patterns, while others made creative adaptations combined with cultural elements from their own countries: a Southeast Asian student added local flower patterns next to the zodiac rabbit design, and a European student integrated the outline of the zodiac dragon with geometric shapes. The works not only retained the artistic charm of traditional Chinese paper-cutting but also incorporated exotic cultural characteristics. The scene was constantly filled with voices of communication and laughter, where cultural elements from various countries cleverly blended on red paper.
In the work display and summary session, students showed their paper-cut works in turn and shared their creative ideas: I cut the zodiac tiger because I think it is very powerful and I like rabbits, so I added flowers to it. The guiding teacher commented on each work one by one, affirming everyone's practical ability and creativity, and vividly interpreted the core connotation that paper-cutting is not only a craft but also a language of culture — today's works in everyone's hands are small links for Sino-foreign cultural dialogue.
Taking paper-cutting as a carrier, this activity allowed international students to feel the warmth of Chinese culture through hands-on practice. It not only enhanced their interest in intangible cultural heritage art but also built a vivid platform for cross-cultural communication.
Text: Xu Manyu
Photos: Wang Tianlu
Editing & Proofreading: Liu Yinggai
First Review: Dai Manman
Second Review: Wu Delu
Third Review: Zhang Wu
1. On-site Teaching
2. Listening Attentively
3. Patient Guidance
4. Meticulous Creation
5. Concentrated Attention
6. Work Display
