Read Mode

Xuan Paper Handicraft



A mild climate and a unique water quality in Jing County in Anhui Province in eastern China are two of the key ingredients in making Xuan paper. This paper thrives there. It is made from bark from the Tara Wing-Celtis (Blue Sandalwood) tree and rice straw and is used widely in calligraphy, painting, and book printing. The quality of Xuan paper is that it absorbs water and moistens ink. Despite being folded repeatedly, it will not break and won't get moth-eaten and decomposed. Xuan paper can lead ink with water and resist ink as well so that heavy strokes separate from lighter ones. The paper contributes to the various colors of ink and the vibrant presentation of wash and ink, thus making Chinese painting and calligraphy stand out as art forms.

The traditional crafts of making Xuan Paper has provided modern society with a safe and durable carrier for writing and many other purposes. It also has an unusual halo effect, which makes Chinese painting and calligraphy stand out and enjoy high reputations as ‘Paper of Ages’ and ‘Paper King.’ Without traditional handcrafts, it will be difficult for the Chinese art of painting and calligraphy to be inherited. The long-term preservation of the world's valuable paper classics will be difficult without Xuan Paper.

Since the eighth century, the skill of making Xuan Paper has been inherited through generations. There are more than a dozen representatives of paper-making enterprises in Jing County, and about a ninth of locals in the county take part in this industry, either directly or indirectly. Proposed by the Xuan Paper making artisans, the Traditional Handicrafts of Making Xuan Paper course has been offered in several of the county's schools. As a result of the above facts, Xuan Paper has already come to be synonymous with Jing County, and any mention of Jing County will automatically allude to Xuan Paper.

The whole process of making Xuan Paper involves more than 100 steps, including sunning and cutting, which takes about two years to complete. These steps can only be accomplished by getting oral instruction and personal understanding. Because every step is time-consuming and can't be explained precisely in words, they must be accomplished through patience and hard work. Additionally, without the peculiar natural conditions such as water quality and local weather conditions of Jing County, the technical requirements of making Xuan Paper would not be met, although using the same raw materials. It is almost impossible for only one person to inherit the skills of making Xuan Paper in a systematically organized way, as inheritance requires not only being clever and deft but also dedicating all his life to it. Currently, there are less than 20 artisans able to master all the skills necessary to make Xuan Paper, including Chunrong Xing, the state-level inheritor of the traditional art of making Xuan Paper.

References

[1] [2]


Edit
Discussion
History