Zhongyang County of Shanxi Province is located in the Lvliang Prefecture in the middle regions of the Yellow River. The paper-cut in this area are simplistic and have a unique local flavor, allowing the paper-cut the cultural preference and artistic shape.
Zhongyang folk paper-cut can bedivided into: Nanchuan River basin, liujiaping areas, remote areas of the three major geographical Xishan. Paper-cut in Nanchuan River Basin is delicate and elegant, occupying the dominant position. Relatively, the paper-cut in Liujiaping regions are simple and energetic and the paper-cut in remote areas of Xishan is rugged and simple and are dependent on the Nanchuan River paper-cut art to enrich the features of Zhongyang paper-cut.
Zhongyang paper-cut is closely related to the local folk culture. The subjects of paper cuts range from customs and religion to seasonal landscapes, life rituals, and legendary stories, including patterns such as fish, frogs, snakes and rabbits, and other folk paper cuts reflecting the traditional customs, as well as the works taking the legendary stories as their themes. Red papers are often employed in Zhongyang, to exemplify the happy and fervent atmosphere there. In addition, there are some colored paper cuts that are in purple, black, yellow, green and blue used in folk customs. The paper-cuts are made by local village women, which is an important activity in daily life and shows their taste and wisdom. Zhongyang paper-cut is full of local color and primitive art, vividly showing the ideas and pursuits of labor women .In terms of the way to pass down the technique, it is generally spontaneous. Meanwhile, it is also inherited by family. The ages of current participants are all more than 60 years old, which clearly demonstrates the lack of awareness in younger generations of the methodology of paper cutting.
