Chinese Paper Cutting - 01 Fook & Rabbits

01 Fook & Rabbits

Rabbits are known to be very fertile and fecund, but don’t worry, all of these bunnies are very well behaved. The overall shape displays the character Fook [福], commonly seen on front doors to welcome in good fortune.

If you look carefully, the composition of rabbits correspond to the brush strokes and form of the character. These papercuttings were first drawn and cut by hand, then digitised to be reproduced one-by-one using a Cricut blade-cutting machine. They are made with traditional Chinese red paper, maintaining its authentic texture and unmistakable colour. Part of the charm of this material lies in its small imperfections, variegated colour, and the way it fades over the course of the year.

The traditional red paper is very delicate, so you won’t find it on any mass-produced products. A bespoke process was developed to handle the material in a small-batched production at home. The paper is reinforced with a recycled card backing, made from 80% post-consumer waste, to improve its durability.

About Tsaoao Design

Nicholas Tsao is a practicing architect in Hong Kong. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Nicholas was awarded the DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award in 2015 and 2016. He currently lives in the historic Bluehouse, where he can contribute to community events and share his passion for traditional crafts.