Mulam paper-cutting master gives lessons for free

Luo Huaqing (M) displays paper-cut works with two of her students. [Photo by Gao Dongfeng/hcwang.cn]

Luo Huaqing in her 5-meter workspace imagining future works [Photo by Gao Dongfeng/hcwang.cn]

Luo Huaqing, a master of Mulam paper-cutting in the Luocheng Mulao autonomous county in Hechi, Guangxi, opened free classes to promote the traditional skill.

Luocheng is the only Mulam ethnic county in China. Its traditional paper-cut is highly regarded due to its exquisite skills.

In recent years, Luo Huaqing has devoted herself to teaching her ancestral skills to local teenagers.

She also created a 4-meter-long paper-cut showing 17 Mulam intangible cultural heritages, such as the Yifan Festival, Mulam ancient folk songs, Mulam embroidering techniques and the grass dragon dance, which won Guangxi's highest award of arts and crafts – the gold award of "Bagui Tiangong Award".

Although Luo has devoted herself to the Mulao paper-cut, she still dreams of holding an exhibition to better promote the folk skill.

Luo Huaqing (R) studies paper-cut skills with another master. [Photo by Gao Dongfeng/hcwang.cn]

Luo Huaqing (M) displays her 4-meter-long paper-cut with her students. [Photo by Gao Dongfeng/Xinhua]

Edited by Andrew Ancheta