Traditional Crafts
Anhui Province, East China
Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE)
Representative List
Master-Apprentice (Hands-on)
Xuan Paper Making
Xuan Paper Making
"The world's finest calligraphy paper, made by hand through 108 steps over three years — "paper that lasts a thousand years.""
CIVILIZATION CONTEXT
This artifact is part of the Intangible Heritage Cluster. It connects to 10 entities across the atlas, spanning 1 region, 0 masters, 0 festivals, and 1 skill.
Xuan Paper Making: A Living Heritage
Xuan paper, produced in Jing County, Anhui Province, is considered the finest paper for Chinese calligraphy and painting. Made from the bark of the blue sandalwood tree (Pteroceltis tatarinowii) mixed with rice straw, it undergoes 108 steps over three years. The paper is prized for its absorbency, durability ("paper that lasts a thousand years"), and ability to show the subtle gradations of ink wash.
1119+
Years of Unbroken Lineage
1
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Skills & Techniques
Xuan Paper Making expand_more
The complex craft of producing xuan paper from blue sandalwood bark and rice straw through a 108-step process taking over three years.
Steps
- Strip bark from the blue sandalwood tree and sun-dry
- Soak and steam the bark to soften fibers
- Beat the bark into a fibrous pulp with lime
- Mix with rice straw pulp in precise proportions
- Scoop the pulp onto a bamboo screen to form sheets
- Press and dry sheets on heated walls
- Inspect, trim, and bundle finished paper
Tools
bamboo screen mold, pulp vat, pressing stone, heated drying wall, knife, bamboo pole
Materials
blue sandalwood bark (Pteroceltis tatarinowii), rice straw, lime, water
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Relationship Constellation
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