▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁types ▁of ▁Chinese ▁folk ▁art . ▁Later , ▁this ▁art ▁form ▁spread ▁to ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁world , ▁with ▁different ▁regions ▁adopt ing ▁their ▁own ▁cultural ▁styles . ▁ ▁Because ▁the ▁cut - outs ▁are ▁often ▁used ▁to ▁decor ate ▁doors ▁and ▁windows , ▁they ▁are ▁sometimes ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁ch u ā ng ▁hu ā ▁( <0xE7> <0xAA> <0x97> 花 ), ▁window ▁flowers ▁or ▁window ▁paper - cut s . ▁People ▁gl ued ▁the ▁paper cut s ▁to ▁the ▁exterior ▁of ▁windows , ▁so ▁the ▁light ▁from ▁the ▁inside ▁would ▁sh ine ▁through ▁the ▁negative ▁space ▁of ▁the ▁cut out . ▁Usually , ▁the ▁art works ▁are ▁made ▁of ▁red ▁paper , ▁as ▁red ▁is ▁associated ▁with ▁festiv ities ▁and ▁happiness ▁in ▁Chinese ▁culture , ▁but ▁other ▁colours ▁were ▁also ▁used . ▁Norm ally ▁paper - cut ting ▁art work ▁is ▁used ▁on ▁festiv als ▁like ▁Spring ▁Festival , ▁wed d ings ▁and ▁child b irth . ▁Pap erc uts ▁always ▁symbol ize ▁luck ▁and ▁happiness . ▁ ▁Origin ▁Chinese ▁paper - cut ting ▁origin ated ▁from ▁ancient ▁activities ▁of ▁wor sh ipping ▁ancest ors ▁and ▁gods , ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁traditional ▁part ▁of ▁Chinese ▁culture . ▁According ▁to ▁arch ae ological ▁records , ▁it ▁origin ates ▁from ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁century , ▁although ▁some ▁believe ▁that ▁its ▁history ▁could ▁be ▁trac ed ▁as ▁far ▁back ▁as ▁the ▁W arring ▁States ▁period ▁( around ▁ 3 ▁BC ), ▁long ▁before ▁the ▁paper ▁was ▁invent