Archaeological finds trace the tradition of paper cutting back to 6th century China. Works were commonly buried with the dead, burned at the funeral ceremonies or used as sacrificial offerings to the ancestors and gods. Today paper cut art is used primarily for decoration. Modern paper cut artists use either laser cutting equipment or scissors and scalpels to create their works and these can vary from simple silhouettes to incredibly intricate designs.

_{Beautiful paper art from Hina Aoyama. Made by hand using scissors.}