Ways to Preserve the Traditional Art of Jianzhi from Jinzhou in Modern China

Van' Jianye PhD in Art History Phd, Department of Semiotics and General Theory of Art, Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991, Russia, Moskva oblast', g. Moscow, ul. Mikroraion Leninskie Gory, 1 jianye.wan@bk.ru Other publications by this author

At the moment, the focus of attention of local authorities in Jinzhou is the preservation of Jianzhi art (the art of paper cutting) in connection with the current course of the state to organize measures to protect the intangible cultural heritage of China ^[1]. In April 2008, Jianzhi art was included in the municipal list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In this regard, the preservation and development of the traditional art of jianzhi is an important issue. In this article, we will look at various ways to solve it, such as traditional inheritance, museum business, school education, digital methods of preserving information, the program of "productive preservation", support for craft carriers and the organization of education.

 1 . The traditional method of succession

The preservation of the jianzhi tradition in Jinzhou takes place through continuity. Basically, this is inheritance through the preservation of the craft in the family and the transfer of knowledge from the master to the student. A serious attitude is taken to the issue of preserving tradition through continuity. So, there is data on generational succession in Jinzhou. The data are presented in Table 1 ^[2].

One of the representatives of the fourth generation is Hao Chuansong, a graduate of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (Fig. 1). His works in the field of Jianzhi art are distinguished by their skill and creative approach to the process. A distinctive feature of the master's works is the ability to combine traditional forms of hieroglyphs with the traditions of Jianzhi. This approach allows us to reflect the unique folklore characteristics of jianzhi art from Jinzhou County.

Fig. 1 Hao Chuansong

Fig. 1 Hao Chuansong

Table 1. Genealogical table of Jianzhi heritage in Jinzhou (2009 statistics)

The tradition of inheritance and continuity of the craft practices of jianzhi art through transmission from master to student, from parents to children has allowed this unique art to be preserved in the modern world. Nevertheless, in the modern world, traditional arts are becoming less popular, which in turn affects the craft of jianzhi.  In this regard, fewer and fewer young people are studying this art.

2. Ways to preserve the traditional art of jianzhi from Jinzhou

2. 1 Museum business as a way to preserve jianzhi

One of the most important places for the popularization and demonstration of Jianzhi art are museums. As part of the activities of museums, such functions as collecting, demonstrating and researching jianzhi art are implemented ^[3]. Thanks to professional restoration and museum collecting, traditional jianzhi works can become more in demand among collectors and connoisseurs of traditional arts. Museums organize regular exhibitions with a special section dedicated to this type of traditional craft in order to popularize jianzhi from Jinzhou and attract a wider public to study this art. Among other methods of attracting people's attention to this craft, it is possible to highlight the holding of introductory lectures with information about this tradition and its value from the point of view of China's cultural heritage.

As another public event for the popularization of art, it is possible to designate training in the technique of creating these works in a museum. For example, you can create a museum specializing in the Jianzhi tradition, or implement a program to support private collectors to create non-state museums of Jianzhi art. In conditions of limited opportunities, it is possible to organize an exhibition area in a museum with a broader specialization, and thus use its platform to create conditions for the preservation of this art.

2.2. School education as a way to popularize jianzhi

As another way to popularize jianzhi, one can single out the organization of educational subjects for the study of this art in primary and secondary school classes. First of all, it is necessary to compile training materials on jianzhi. In addition, teachers need to properly motivate students to study this traditional art so that students can get an idea of it and evaluate its cultural value ^[4].

The introduction of such educational subjects will enrich the extracurricular life of students, stimulate their imagination and creativity, as well as expand their knowledge and interest in folk art. By teaching jianzhi artists at school, you can educate more enthusiasts in the field of folk art, as well as attract new followers of this craft. During the summer and winter holidays, jianzhi workshops, such as window cutting and window pasting, can be organized to instill a love of traditional folk culture among students. These practices are especially relevant in the Jinzhou region, where there is a tradition of Jianzhi culture.

Such initiatives are also needed in some art colleges. It would be possible to consider the possibility of creating courses on this subject, as well as consider combining it with modern artistic thinking to create the best works and train a large number of talented people.

2.3. Using modern technologies to preserve Jianzhi art

Traditional methods of collecting information are mainly based on such methods as photography, video, interviews, written records, etc. These methods of information storage are poorly interconnected and cannot systematically integrate the relevant information in full, and are also not convenient for storing and collecting information.

Digital information storage is the use of multimedia and digital technologies, various texts, images, audio, video and other forms of information stored in the network database, for which a more scientific and systematic archival system has been created ^[5]. On the Internet, resources can be exchanged using digital technologies, which not only provide permanent protection of materials about jianzhi in Jinzhou, but also allow jianzhi art to be more widely distributed, which in turn allows it to preserve and inherit its intangible cultural value ^[6].

With the rapid development of digital technologies, text and graphics processing capabilities are being improved, as well as the corresponding  high-precision equipment. For example, flat scan technology is used to record and save information such as text and photos. With the help of 3D scanning technology and virtual scene processing, it is possible to create a digital archive of information about jianzhi in Jinzhou in order to achieve a high degree of compliance of virtual models with real art objects and protect these materials and information through the use of a modern technical platform.

Although this method may not be able to convey 100% of the information due to its virtual nature, compared to the physical objects of jianzhi art and interviews with the masters of this craft. Nevertheless, the openness and possibilities of communication in digital media are incomparable with archival data. They allow the maximum integration and use of appropriate resources, providing more opportunities for development, as well as informing more people about the cultural value of Jianzhi art. Thereby making a significant contribution to the preservation, dissemination and development of this art.

2.4 The "Productive conservation" program

In the Jinzhou area, enthusiasts who create jianzhi works of art remain. They work mainly on traditional motifs, preserving the craft continuity. Nevertheless, in order to preserve this kind of art, it is necessary to introduce it into modern cultural trends.  This is possible through the constant introduction of innovations together with the preservation of traditions. Thus, jianzhi art from Jinzhou preserves local cultural and traditional features, which it can pass on to future generations by fitting its craft into modern culture.

Due to the fact that the state has identified the preservation of intangible cultural heritage as one of its priorities, many jianzhi masters from Jinzhou who inherited this craft received support from the government. This was a significant step towards realizing the value of jianzhi art among many people.

However, among the masters and lovers of jianzhi art, there is a problem of violation of intellectual property rights. Both amateurs and professional craftsmen are unaware of intellectual property rights and strive for self-reproduction. This problem exists due to the fact that the industrial chain is not perfect, and market research and recruitment for this art are insufficiently standardized, which led to the fact that jianzhi in Jinzhou was not sustainably industrialized. Many of the best works have been copied in mass production, and the original works of art have lost their unique collectible value, cultural connotations and traditional meanings.

In this regard, in order to preserve this traditional craft, it is necessary to create conditions for preserving the uniqueness of the original works of jianzhi. At the same time, thanks to the industrialization of production while preserving copyright, there is an opportunity to both earn income and protect jianzhi art. To implement these decisions, it is necessary to take rationally justified measures. Therefore, developing and inheriting the traditions of jianzhi art in Jinzhou, it is necessary to pay attention to the protection of intellectual property rights, and gradually carry out industrialization with the subsequent development of the market around the world ^[7].

In the introduction to the study "Introduction to Intangible Cultural Heritage", Professor Wang Wenzhang of the Chinese Academy of Arts proposed the concept of "productive conservation", which is that crafts should be protected in production practice ^[8]. In the book "The Revival of Crafts and the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage in a productive Way", Li Pingtian, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Arts, suggests that "productive preservation" is a form of careful protection of art, which creates opportunities for determining cultural differences in accordance with the peculiarities of the existence and transmission of crafts, and is also a social and cultural practice that it follows the laws of intangible cultural heritage ^[9]. The use of "craft" and "manual labor" as the main method of preserving art corresponds to the existence of the transfer of both craft and the entire intangible cultural heritage expressed in the practice of manual production, and at the same time reflects the need for the protection of culture and the careful preservation of traditions.

Thus, "productive preservation" is expressed in the transformation of intangible cultural heritage and its resources into production and products through craft practices, labor distribution and sales. The purpose of the implementation of this concept is "to promote development through conservation and conservation through development"^[10].

3. Organization of education in the field of Jianzhi art

In order to preserve the intangible cultural heritage, it is necessary to first inherit and assimilate it, and only after that it can be promoted and distributed. The core of the intangible cultural heritage that can be transferred is the carrier. The "Law on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage" clearly states the duties that the bearer must perform. They include: the implementation of actions that promote the inheritance of tradition and the upbringing of its heirs; the proper preservation of relevant objects and materials; cooperation with the competent cultural authorities and other relevant departments in the study of intangible cultural heritage; participation in the promotion of intangible cultural heritage for the benefit of society ^[11].

Despite the fact that there are currently many jianzhi masters in Jinzhou, it takes a lot of time to transfer this art. This requires the organization of training courses and advertising, as well as time for art education and training of new qualified masters. For example, some enterprises in Jinzhou organize jianzhi competitions, organize exhibitions and invite old artists to talk about this craft and show their creations. Companies organize these events so that more people can appreciate the charm of Jianzhi art and take part in it, thereby increasing their awareness and increasing their interest in this art. This in turn lays a good foundation for the dissemination and training of jianzhi in Jinzhou. In addition, the government has provided a number of incentives for jianzhi artists to encourage them to continue making art.

Conclusion

Jianzhi art in Jinzhou cannot escape from the traditional customs and way of life of the people, and it is not enough to rely on the efforts of several students and masters. Jianzhi in Jinzhou faces a number of challenges in its inheritance and development. Due to the passing away or the advanced age of a number of old jianzhi masters, the question of how to protect and transfer this craft as effectively as possible has become the main one today ^[12]. Currently, the Ministry of Culture uses the resources of universities to implement training programs for heirs of intangible cultural heritage. The Jinzhou region should send jianzhi masters to actively participate in these programs and train followers of this craft^[13]. At the same time, it is necessary to focus on the preservation of jianzhi in Jinzhou, In order to re-include paper cutting in Jinzhou in people's lives, it is necessary to count not only on the help and support of the government, but also on the love and recognition of the people. and also to make concerted efforts at various levels with the help of the government, experts and scientists, craftsmen, public forces and the media so that jianzhi art and the traditional culture it carries can continue to exist and develop under their protection.