The first Chinese Paper Cutting Art Festival came to a close Tuesday in Yuxian County, Hebei Province, where hundreds of folk artists and recognized intangible cultural heritage inheritors of paper cutting from all China gathered together to celebrate the traditional folk art.

Paper cut scene depicting country life by artist Li Baofeng. [Global Times]

"It is a good chance to communicate with so many artists and experts and learn from each other," said Zhou Guang, one of the golden prize winners of this festival and Chinese folk artist awarded by UNESCO.

About 10,000 showed up for the opening ceremony on Sunday, many of which later browsed the numerous artist exhibitions including works selling anywhere from 10 yuan ($1.47) into the thousands.

"Paper cutting is one of the most classic folk arts in China, a way to convey bless-ings and worship for Chinese people," said Wang Zhijun, the Secretary of Yuxian County Party Committee.

"Its charm comes from the life of people, as an expression of people's true feelings," he added.

Since 2009, UNESCO has inscribed paper cutting as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity with thousands of years of history, recognizing Ansai in Shaanxi Province, Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, Yuxian in Hebei Province as centers of the folk art. Meanwhile, paper cutting has attracted more and more attention in recent years, with 41 heritage sites declared by the central and local governments.

"Paper cutting has seen great development during these years. We see not only the original paper cut with traditional characteristics and rustic beauty, but also modern interpretations, as well as works with strong personality," said Xiang Yunju, the general secretary of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Society.

During this festival, the opening of the Paper Cutting Art Street witnessed 41 artists from different paper cutting centers to showcase their works diverse in skill, concept and inspiration.

"There are three genres of paper cutting, the northern style, the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Style, and the southern Style, each of them influenced by their geography and local culture," said Sun Hongjie, the vice chairman of the Paper Cutting Arts Committee.

"Yuxian style is unique as it uses a technique that cuts out the negative space of the pattern instead of cutting out the pattern itself, leaving more paper to dye," added Sun.