CCTV News (News Network): In the huge system of traditional Chinese handmade paper, rice paper is one of the most outstanding representatives, with a history of more than 1,500 years. It has a reputation as "paper life is thousands of years, and its ink rhyme changes." In 2009, the rice paper making skills were included in the representative list of human intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. On March 16, we will take you to appreciate China's papermaking skills.
In the China Xuan Paper Town in Jingxian County surrounded by mountains in southern Anhui, a giant "three-zhangsan" rice paper bamboo curtain with an length of 11 meters and a width of 3.3 meters is accurately scooped in the pulp pool. This large-sized rice paper is generally used to create large-scale calligraphy and painting works. "Sanzan" uses natural raw materials such as green sandalwood bark and sand field straw. After 108 processes such as steaming, bleaching, and beating, it takes more than 50 skilled paper-fishing workers to work together with traditional techniques to complete the work.
Fetching paper is the first way to make rice paper into paper, and it is also the most important process that determines the quality of rice paper. The paper-retrieval master can control the weight of rice paper by relying solely on the movements on his hands, and can achieve 100 pieces of rice paper per knife, with a weight error of no more than 50 grams.
The finished paper layer needs to be squeezed through plate to press out excess moisture in the paper. It can only be completed after more than 100 cumbersome and meticulous procedures such as baking and drying.
Rice paper is generally divided into raw Xuan and cooked Xuan. Raw Xuan is not processed, with strong water absorption and emptiness, which is easy to produce rich changes in ink, achieving the artistic effect of water collection and ink seals and thick and magnificent. This effect enriches the expressiveness and layering of the painting, and is usually used by painters to create freehand paintings; mature Xuan, because glue and alum are added during processing, the paper is harder than raw and radiant, and has weak water absorption, and will not disperse when encountering ink. It is usually used in small regular script, fine brushwork, etc. Rice paper made with traditional techniques has been unable to completely replace the machined paper with its excellent characteristics such as long-lasting non-brittleness, water absorption and moistening ink, and non-decay or rot. As a carrier of rare ancient books, famous books and paintings, rice paper has been passed down by generations of literati and poets, and carries the Chinese culture for thousands of years.
