A pair of scissor has become synonymous with Mao Xuhui and the most recognizable symbol in his paintings, almost as if he were the creator. Often referred to as the "scissor-painter", Mao first began to paint scissors after a serious illness in the early 1990s. Alone and isolated in hospital, he was surrounded only by ordinary and mundane objects such as scissors. Slowly his mind became engaged with the ordinary and mundane and he saw new and extraordinary possibilities and meaning in the everyday. Rather than present everyday objects in a realistic way, Mao chose an artistic language of graphical representation. His series of works with scissors or chairs evoke a strong psychological reaction as they play with such themes as social power and the inner-mind. Believing that "works with vivid imagery have greater impact on people", Mao uses chairs as symbols of social power, while scissors represent psychological states. Each pair of sharp scissors is open or closed, complete or broken; and each position represents a calm yet undetermined and restless emotion immediately picked up by the viewer.

Although scissors, often used in dressmaking or sewing are sometimes associated with a feminine quality, Mao's scissors are strongly masculine representations of male power. According to the art critic Wang Lin, "Chairs and scissors in Mao's works are a symbol of social power. His chairs represent the social relationship, while his scissors represent his psychological qualities. These are consistent with his expressionism style and pursuit for the inner soul and spirit."