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The Art of Chinese Paper Folding

Zhezhi - Chinese Paper Folding

Learn about the Art of Chinese Paper Folding and take home your own masterpiece!

Join us for the Art of Chinese Paper Folding, or Zhezhi and create your own pieces of art to take home. Presented by BCL staff member, Alex Ibarra.

Families welcome! Materials and guided instruction provided.

Presented in association with the NEA Big Read Program.

Cai Lun, an imperial court official during the Han Dynasty (around 105 A.D.), is credited with the improvement of the process of creating paper such that it could be widely used in the imperial court, as a writing material. As paper became easier and less expensive to produce, its use spread to include Zhezhi – the art of paper folding (thought to originate in medieval China). At first, Zhezhi was used for ceremonial purposes – folded into a golden nugget shape that was burned at funerals or formed into shapes that had meaning to the deceased. Once paper became more accessible to ordinary people, Zhezhi began to be used to create lanterns, swans, and even toys for kids. Zhezhi has become even more intricate using multiple pieces of folded paper that interlock to create complex pieces such as 3-D dragons, fish, pineapples (symbol of good luck, wealth, and prosperity), and more.

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.  

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