Paper-cutting Art Work to Celebrate the Olympics

A veteran paper-cutting artist, Xiu Lijuan, designs an Olympic-themed paper-cutting work with 2,008 butterflies to send her best wishes to the upcoming Olympic Games in Haiyang, a costal city in east China's Shandong province on Wednesday, July 9, 2008.

The picture shows a paper-cutting work with the theme of Beijing Olympic Games in Haiyang, a costal city in east China's Shandong province on Wednesday, July 9, 2008.

Xiu Lijuan, a veteran paper-cutting artist shows her art work with the theme of Beijing Olympic Games in Haiyang, a costal city in east China's Shandong province on Wednesday, July 9, 2008.

(CRI 2008-07-10 18:03:29)-- A veteran paper-cutting artist from Haiyang, a costal city in east China's Shandong province, has designed an art work comprising 2,008 butterflies for the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games, the Yantai-based shm.com.cn reported on Thursday.

Designed by an artist named Xiu Lijuan, the creation is 182 centimeters in length and 195 centimeters in width, and is made up of 2,008 different butterfly-shaped paper sheets.

Since "Apple" means peace in Chinese, Xiu Lijuan spent about one and half years to use nearly 30 kinds of cutting techniques to cut these butterflies and shape them into an apple, thereby sending her best wishes to the Olympic Games.

Paper-cutting is the art of cutting paper designs. The art has evolved uniquely all over the world to adopt to different cultural styles.