The ox is the second sign of the Chinese zodiac and the quiet hero of the farming year. In Chinese folk art it stands for diligence, steadiness, and strength that never needs to show off.
This page offers a traditional folk ox pattern as a free printable template. Download the PDF below, print it at 100% scale, and cut your own ox.
A traditional folk pattern, restored for printing. Free for personal and classroom use. Print at 100% scale.
What the ox means in paper cutting
For centuries the ox plowed China's fields, and in farming families it was treated less as livestock than as a partner — well fed, rested through winter, and spoken of with respect. Out of that long partnership the ox took its meanings: diligence, patience, dependability, and a quiet strength that simply gets on with the work. People born in ox years are traditionally described as steady and hardworking, the ones you trust to finish what they start.
The bond between ox and farm year shows up vividly in folk art. At the start of spring, villages once shared "spring-ox pictures" (春牛图) — images of the ox, sometimes with a young herdsboy — handed out to mark the beginning of the plowing season and to encourage the year's work. In some places a spring ox made of clay or paper was ceremonially struck at the Beginning of Spring to wake the soil for the new season. The ox on paper was calendar, blessing, and reminder in one: the harvest begins with steady labor.
In the zodiac the ox is paired with the earthly branch Chou (丑), and the character often appears beside the animal, as in this template. Ox paper cuts favor solid, grounded poses — a strong standing ox among grass and flowers — and they come out at Spring Festival, especially in ox years, as window flowers and door decorations. A paper ox on the window wishes the household a year of honest work fairly rewarded: fields plowed, grain gathered, and no hurry about any of it.
About this template
This template is a single-piece traditional folk pattern in red. The ox stands firmly in a rounded-square frame among blossoms and grass, and the design includes the character Chou (丑), the ox's earthly branch, at the upper left.
The pattern is moderate in difficulty. The silhouette is bold and easy to follow with scissors; the finer work is in the interior details — the small pinwheel flowers on the body, the grass blades, and the curves of the horns — which reward a craft knife. The template is a traditional folk pattern restored for printing, and it is free for personal and classroom use.
How to print and cut
Print the template at exactly 100% scale — avoid fit-to-page settings, which distort the design. Choose whichever of the two PDFs matches your paper: A4 or US Letter. Print directly on red paper for the classic result, or print on white and back the finished cut with a sheet of red paper.
Begin with the outer contour using small, sharp scissors; the rounded frame and the ox's outline are smooth and forgiving. For the interior — the flower whorls, grass, and horn curves — switch to a craft knife over a cutting mat. Keep in mind how the pattern reads: everything red remains as the finished design, and every white space is removed. Work the interior from the center outward so the paper stays well supported.
More zodiac templates
The ox is part of our complete set of twelve Chinese zodiac paper-cutting templates. Every sign comes as a free printable PDF with cultural notes and cutting guidance:
- Chinese zodiac paper-cutting templates — the complete set of all twelve signs
- Rat paper-cutting template — the first sign, clever and resourceful
- Tiger paper-cutting template — the third sign, a guardian against evil
FAQ
Is commercial use of this template allowed? The pattern is free for personal projects and classroom teaching. For any commercial use, please reach out to us about licensing before you start.
Which paper gives the best result? Traditional cuts use thin red paper, but standard printer paper, origami paper, or light craft paper are all fine substitutes. Thinner paper cuts more cleanly and is easier on the hands.
Should I cut this with scissors or a knife? Use both if you can. Scissors are ideal for the bold outer contour, while a craft knife handles the interior flowers and grass more precisely. Scissors alone will work, but the small details will come out rougher.
Why do farmers honor the ox at spring's start? The ox did the heavy work of plowing, so folk custom greeted the new farming year with spring-ox pictures and ceremonies at the Beginning of Spring. Honoring the ox was a way of wishing the fields — and the year's food supply — a strong start.
Author
This article was prepared by the team at ChineseFolkCrafts.com. We are not intangible-cultural-heritage inheritors or museum researchers. Our job is to find authoritative Chinese sources, understand them, and explain them clearly for international readers.
If you spot an error — a date, a translation, a misattributed custom — please let us know and we will correct it. Last updated 2026-08-02.
