The markets and craft shops in Qingyang's old streets sell paper-cutting, embroidery, and cloth work that represents a living folk art tradition. The paper-cutting ranges from simple decorative pieces sold as souvenirs to elaborate compositions that take hours to make and cost accordingly. If you have any interest in folk arts, this is one of the best places in China to buy directly from the makers.
Several workshops in the city allow visitors to watch — and try — the technique. The tourist bureau and the municipal museum can direct you to master cutters who give demonstrations. The work is genuinely difficult: the cuts are made with small scissors into folded paper, and the patterns exist only in the maker's memory and hands. Watching someone do it fluently is impressive regardless of your interest in the finished product.