[00:04.57]Lesson 3 Chinese Paper Art
[00:08.62]The Art of Paper
[00:11.90]Chen Zijiang is a paper-cutting expert
[00:15.04]whom I interviewed for my article
[00:16.86]on Chinese Art.
[00:19.08]Paper-cutting is something
[00:20.20]that he learned to do from an early age.
[00:23.83]"It is a Chinese folk art with a long history,"
[00:27.65]Mr Chen told me,"Paper cuts of animals
[00:30.76]have been found in tombs,
[00:32.85]which date back to the time of the Northern
[00:35.27]and Southern Dynasty(386-589)!"
[00:40.38]He added that by the Southern Song Dynasty
[00:43.26](1127-1279),paper-cutting
[00:47.09]had become an important part of everyday life.
[00:51.32]"A young farmer who wanted a wife,
[00:53.73]would look at a young woman's
[00:55.36]paper-cutting skills before marrying her!"
[00:58.36]explained Mr Chen,laughing at the look
[01:00.67]of surprise on my face.
[01:03.48]Mr Chen went on to explain,
[01:05.01]that there are three types of paper cuts
[01:07.63]which people still make today:
[01:10.85]paper cuts for decoration,
[01:12.72]for religious purposes
[01:14.69]and for design patterns.
[01:14.69]