When people say Chinese culture，we often think of paper cutting. Paper cutting is an art form with a long history in China. Traditional paper﹣cuts were first put on windows for decoration.
Most paper﹣cuts are made of red paper，because red means good luck in Chinese culture. Today，people use paper﹣cuts to decorate not only windows，but also doors and other furniture（家具）.
Paper﹣cuts are popular because of their expressions of good wishes and hopes. During the Spring Festival，for example，many people put up paper﹣cuts of the Chinese character（汉字）"Fu"upside down on the door. At wedding ceremonies（婚礼），you can always see paper﹣cuts of the character"Xi". It means that the new couple can enjoy happiness together.
Paper﹣cuts from the north of China usually have interesting shapes. In southern China，people prefer paper﹣cuts with the themes（主题）of flowers，fruit，birds and fish.
It's quite easy to learn paper cutting. With a piece of paper and a knife or a pair of scissors，you can try to make your own paper﹣cuts. But you need a lot of practice and imagination to become really good at it.
A. Paper cutting is easy to start with. B. Sometimes，people use them as gifts. C. They hope that "Fu Dao" will bring them good luck. D. That is why paper﹣cuts are also called"window flowers". E. Paper cutting has developed into different styles in different parts of China. |
