What are the Chinese folk handicrafts?

There are many ways to classify Chinese folk handicrafts.

① Based on the use function, folk handicrafts can be divided into appreciation, practical and religious and sacrificial categories. The appreciation category refers to folk handicrafts that are placed on the desk, pasted on the wall, or hung indoors for people to appreciate, such as paper-cuts, woodblock New Year pictures, dough sculptures, colored sculptures, silk flowers, lanterns, etc.; the practical category refers to folk crafts that have value in daily life. Handicrafts, such as pottery pots, colored calicoes, blue calicoes, wood-carved pastry molds, bamboo woven utensils, etc.; religious and sacrificial products include colored sculptures of gods and Buddhas, paper chariots and horses (paper and reed poles are used to make figures, chariots, horses, and pavilions) etc., cremated for the bereaved family to provide comfort to the deceased).

② Based on social life, folk handicrafts can be divided into practical, festive, narrative and lyrical categories. Practical categories such as clothing, printing and dyeing, embroidery, pottery, brick carving and architectural decoration; festive categories such as woodblock New Year pictures, jewelry, paper-cutting, folk toys, colored sculptures, dough sculptures, wood-carved pastry molds, kites, lanterns, shadow puppets, puppet head carvings, masks, etc. ; Narrative and lyrical items such as embroidered balls, embroidered sachets, embroidered clothing, shoes and hats, etc., used as love tokens or wedding souvenirs.

③According to industry, folk handicrafts can be divided into sculptures (such as wood carvings, brick carvings, colored sculptures, dough sculptures, sugar blowers), printing and dyeing (such as blue calico, woodblock color printing, batik, embroidery (such as incense) purses, cloth tigers), weaving (bamboo and straw utensils), pottery, clothing, jewelry and woodblock New Year pictures, paper-cutting, kites, shadow puppets, puppets, velvet handicrafts, silk flowers, lanterns, colorful lion heads, masks, folk toys, etc.

Features

The main characteristics of folk handicrafts are:

① Focus on practicality, pay attention to function, and perfectly combine function and aesthetic requirements. There are many categories of handicrafts, such as daily necessities, labor tools, clothing, and festive and seasonal items, etc., covering almost all areas of life. Daily necessities include pottery, wooden furniture, bamboo weaving (baskets, baskets, bamboo hats, mats). ), fans, umbrellas, etc.; working tools include boat decorations, metal bells hung on carriages and horses, saddle pads, etc.; clothing categories include embroidery, blue calico, batik, cotton brocade, hats, shoes, etc.; festive and seasonal supplies are more It is rich and colorful. Therefore, folk handicrafts reflect the social life of people in a certain era and region. In European and American countries, humanists take folk handicrafts as one of their research objects.

② Most of them use local materials. Using local abundant resources, using simple tools, and focusing on manual labor. Natural materials such as soil, wheat straw, bamboo, cotton thread, wood, and corn husks can be used as raw materials. The products have rough, thick, and simple artistic characteristics. Simple tools for manual operation make this feature more complete. For example, the knife skills of folk carving handicrafts are rough, and the painting of blue and white porcelain is only a few strokes.

③Folk handicrafts focus on the overall effect and abandon the details. , exaggerate the theme, the technique is very simple; in terms of color, there are not many colors, simple, bright, and strong contrast; in terms of composition, they mostly use balanced and coordinated techniques, with smooth lines and a strong sense of rhythm. Due to the use of exaggeration and deformation, it has a strong decorative interest.

④ Folk handicrafts express the wishes and thoughts and feelings of the working people for a better and happy life, and reflect the people's living customs. The patterns on the cloth such as "Fu, Longevity, Many Children (bergamot, peach, pomegranate)" and "Gourd for all generations" symbolize the hope of a happy life, longevity, numerous descendants and endless succession. Patterns such as "Longevity Good Luck" and "Treasure Bowl" reflect people's wishes for a happy marriage, everything goes as planned, and rich property. "Fu" paper weaving paintings, "Smooth sailing" and "Peaceful carriages and horses" woodblock New Year paintings are all popular folk handicrafts. In addition, in ancient times, folk handicrafts as seasonal supplies followed the people almost all year round. Custom activities add to the festive atmosphere, and some of them have been followed to this day.

⑤The production and use of folk handicrafts have unique local styles, so they have seasonal characteristics. Among them, the seasonal performance of folk handicrafts such as woodblock New Year pictures, wood-carved pastry molds, and lanterns is more prominent.

Most folk handicrafts are passed down from generation to generation in the local area. Local artists have been exposed to local art for a long time and have been influenced by traditional culture, so they are also inheritable.