Preserving an art form one cut at a time

In 2005, Yu spent two months finishing a paper-cutting masterpiece measuring 10 meters in length and 1 meter in width. The artwork portrays the national campaign encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to engage in regular physical activities that marked the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. The work was later collected by the General Administration of Sport of China.

For Yu, creating paper-cut designs is both meditative and physically demanding. She is skilled at creating works with improvised patterns. The most difficult designs require cutting through several layers of paper at once, and the scissors must be held with precision to create the finest details.

"It took many years before I could cut as skillfully as my teachers. When I was finally able to do it, it felt like a deep connection to the past," Yu says.

A new generation

In 2006, Ansai paper-cutting was recognized as part of the intangible cultural heritage of China. It is now promoted and preserved as an important cultural practice, with efforts to train new generations of artisans and promote it domestically and internationally.

Today, Yu's studio has become a place where she not only creates her art but also teaches young people the skills and history behind Ansai paper-cutting. The process of passing down this art form is just as important as the practice itself, she says.