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Concept
Zhizha
Summary
Zhizha (), or Taoist paper art, is a type of traditional craft, mainly used as offerings in Taoist festive celebrations and funerals. It had become a widely accepted element in religious practice since Northern Song Dynasty. It now faces a gradual loss of craftsmanship due to related environmental concerns and weakened religious belief.
Zhizha is generally perceived as a form of offering in festive celebrations and funerals. It is believed to be a substitute for living offerings in a sacrifice.
Young women in ancient China were offered as brides every year to a so called “River God” in exchange for less frequent floods. To facilitate the exchange, the women would be sacrificed. This practice was later halted by Ximen Bao of Wei due to ethical concerns.
Zhizha is the present form of offerings. It only appeared after the maturation of papermaking skills in the Han dynasty. Its common usage came to reality in Northern Song Dynasty, when burning zhǐmǎ (paper dolls in the shape of animals) and zhǐyǒng (paper tomb figures) became popular. Effigies, which were often produced purposefully to resemble humans, took varied forms in different periods of time, from couch grass, terracotta, and eventually paper.
Zhizha art plays an important role in Chinese culture. Despite being one of the most important kinds of decorations in villages, it also serves as an important medium of communication between humans and gods in different forms.
The Zhizha art is mostly for festive or funeral decoration and offerings. During festivals which perform the Taoist ritual, “Dajiao”, Zhizha is used to make symbolic decorations such as lanterns, the models of mythic creatures and Gods in parades. During Ghost Festival and Qingming Festival, apart from joss paper, people burn Zhizha offerings to worship gods and show respect to the ghosts of the deceased. While similarly, Zhizha is essential for a traditional Taoist funeral. Since the Chinese generally believe in an afterlife, anything needed for the deceased to enjoy their afterlives, such as houses, furniture, food, gadgets and even servants will be made into Zhizha models and burned as offerings to them.
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