Course Introduction

Chapter One: Paper Cutting

First, the origin of paper cutting is introduced through the story of “Cutting a Tong Leaf to Enfeoff a Younger Brother,” prompting reflection on the spirit of “trust” in Chinese culture. The lecture continues with the development of paper cutting in the Han dynasty, its popularization in the Tang and Song dynasties, and its maturity and prosperity in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The second part covers the classification of paper cutting and basic techniques, using a paper snowflake as an example with a video demonstration. The third part explores the three major schools of paper cutting and their contemporary applications.

Chapter Two: Embroidery

The first part introduces the origin and application of Chinese embroidery, from the era of Yao and Shun to the Han dynasty, and from the Tang and Song to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Embroidery developed continuously in form, color, composition, craftsmanship, and artistic value, with extensive applications in daily life. The second part focuses on China’s Four Great Embroideries: Su embroidery, Yue embroidery, Shu embroidery, and Xiang embroidery, together with their distinctive characteristics. The third part presents Shanxi folk embroidery techniques and works, incorporating folk embroidery colors and styles into everyday wear, and introduces the embroidery of sachets and related wearing customs through the Shanxi folk song “Embroidering a Sachet.”

Chapter Three: Purple Clay Pottery Craft

The first part traces the historical origins of purple clay pottery craft, from the Han dynasty’s “art of tea in the classroom,” to Tang-dynasty Yixing tea praised as “fragrant beyond all others,” to the Song dynasty’s “seven daily necessities—firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea.” In the Ming and Qing dynasties, tea drinking flourished, and tea culture and purple clay pottery culture complemented and elevated each other. The second part explains the production process and distinctive features of Yixing purple clay pottery. The third part introduces celebrated masters and their works, such as Gong Chun, Shi Dabin, Chen Mansheng, and Gu Jingzhou, and interprets the meanings of their inscriptions and decorative patterns, reflecting the spirit and thought of Chinese culture.

Chapter Four: Pingyao Lacquered Woodware

The first part outlines the origins and history of Pingyao lacquered woodware, introducing Rishengchang—the first Shanxi-funded private bank—and painter Qiao Quanyu’s “Qiao School,” known for its emphasis on polishing and gilding. This is followed by an explanation of the production process. The second part categorizes Pingyao lacquered woodware and highlights representative works. The third part discusses its inheritance and maintenance methods.

Chapter Five: Wood Carving

The first part introduces wood carving from the Warring States period and the Han dynasty, explaining the causes, techniques, and characteristics of wood carving in different periods, and appreciating representative works such as carved wooden beasts. The second part covers religious wood carving and Chaozhou wood carving in the Ming and Qing dynasties, including Chaozhou wood carving’s craftsmanship, production process, defining features, and representative works of religious wood carving and Chaozhou wood carving. The third part focuses on miniature wood carving, presenting its general background, bamboo and wood carving schools, characteristics, techniques, and representative pieces.

Chapter Six: Dough Figurine Art

The first part begins with Shanxi’s wheat-based diet, emphasizing the central place of wheat foods in the lives of Shanxi people, before moving to the origin and development of dough figurines to build a foundational understanding. The second part introduces the types of dough figurines, focusing on dough flowers and dough figures, noting the distinction between edible and collectible forms, and describing the geographical distribution of dough figurines with examples from different parts of Shanxi. The third part explores the relationship between dough figurines and traditional festivals, highlighting the close bond between festivities and food, and concludes with an overview of tools, methods, and the cultural significance of dough figurines for the Chinese nation.

Chapter Seven: Shadow Puppetry

The first part introduces the basics of shadow puppetry and its performance format, tracing its origins and discussing its applications in modern life. The second part explains puppet making and composition, characterized by exquisite complexity and ingenious design, wide geographical distribution, and diverse singing styles with strong regional features. The third part explores the beauty of shadow puppetry through mask designs, headdresses, and costumes, illustrating how the interplay of light and shadow creates its enduring artistic charm, alongside ongoing innovations by contemporary artists.

Chapter Eight: Handcrafted Pillows

The first part traces the historical origins of handcrafted pillows, from prehistoric times through the Western Zhou, Warring States, Han, Three Kingdoms, Tang, Ming and Qing dynasties. The second part focuses on Shanxi’s pillow culture, covering its characteristics, classification, distribution, and the special functions of ceramic pillows. The third part introduces the Pingyao Liuhetai Pillow, explaining its symbolic name, distinctive shape, and the traditional Chinese medicine wisdom embodied in its internal fillings.