Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper,Chinese called taohua zhi is a traditional handmade paper originating from Zhejiang Province, China, renowned for its reputation as “paper with a lifespan of a thousand years.” The crafting technique of this paper has been listed as a representative project of intangible cultural heritage in Zhejiang Province, showcasing its profound cultural heritage and craftsmanship value.
The primary material for Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper is the bark of the mountain flower tree. After soaking, steaming, bleaching, sieving out impurities, scraping, pulping, separating fibers through stirring, diluting with water, and adding a certain proportion of adhesive to form a slurry, the paper-making process begins. Its production process is complex and intricate, demanding meticulous attention to each step. This type of paper has a fine texture, is resilient, semi-transparent, and can be used for rubbings, printing, calligraphy, painting, as well as making family genealogies, paper umbrellas, firecracker fuses, kites, lanterns, and various other traditional handicrafts.
Additionally, Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper has a unique characteristic: there are often faint yellowish halos on the paper, resembling peach blossom shapes, or after dyeing, when viewed under light, the paper exhibits colorful clouds, resembling blossoming peach flowers. This may be one of the reasons why it is named “Peach Blossom Paper.”
History of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper
The history of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper can be traced back to ancient times, demonstrating a deep cultural heritage. It is said that even before the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, the Qianhong region had already begun producing peach blossom paper. This paper, renowned for its fine texture, resilience, and semi-transparency, was widely used in calligraphy, painting, and the production of traditional handicrafts.
The crafting technique of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper is extremely complex, relying entirely on manual labor. From processing the raw materials to the finished product, it undergoes more than ten processes, each demanding intricate craftsmanship. This exquisite craftsmanship and unique quality have earned Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper great acclaim throughout history, even being hailed as having a “lifespan of a thousand years.”
However, the crafting technique of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper was once interrupted. Fortunately, in 1969, folk papermakers in Qianhong Township rediscovered and revived this traditional craft, rejuvenating Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper. By 1979, after years of exploration and experimentation, a type of paper with Qianhong characteristics for calligraphy and painting was successfully developed, further enriching the variety and application fields of Qianhong paper products.
Today, Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper has been listed as a representative project of intangible cultural heritage in Zhejiang Province, attracting widespread attention and protection from the government and various sectors of society. The inheritance and development of this traditional craft not only show respect for history but also inherit and promote Chinese culture.
Craftsmanship of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper
The crafting technique of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper is highly complex and intricate. The following are the main steps of its production:
1. Preparation of raw materials: The primary material is the bark of the mountain flower tree, providing the paper with its unique texture and resilience. The raw materials need to undergo soaking, steaming, and bleaching processes to remove impurities and extract high-quality fibers.
2. Fiber processing: The processed raw materials are ground to thoroughly separate the fibers. This process requires strict control of grinding time and speed to ensure fiber quality.
3. Pulping: The bleached fibers are added to a pulping machine where they are further separated and formed into pulp through mechanical cutting and grinding.
4. Papermaking: The prepared pulp is poured into specific containers, and then the bamboo screen and wooden frame are dipped into the pulp. The fibers settle on the bamboo screen through shaking, and water drains through the gaps. The longer the shaking, the thicker the paper; the lighter the shaking, the thinner the paper.
5. Pressing and baking: After the handmade paper is formed, the bamboo screen is removed, and the paper is overlapped with thread spacers. After partial water drainage, pressure is applied to increase its density, followed by baking. Baking utilizes steam to generate heat on sealed iron plates. Long wooden strips lightly roll the handmade paper, brushed smooth, and indirectly heated to dry the paper.
6. Cutting and packaging: Finally, the paper is cut into shape and packaged, completing the production process of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper.
The entire crafting process requires highly skilled artisans with rich experience and exquisite techniques. Each step is delicate and meticulous, ensuring the unique quality and aesthetics of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper. Its fine texture, resilience, and semi-transparency make it suitable for calligraphy, painting, and the production of traditional handicrafts.
Characteristics of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper
The characteristics of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper mainly manifest in the following aspects:
1. Fine texture: The fibers of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper are delicate, resulting in a smooth and dense surface, allowing smooth strokes in writing or painting, effectively showcasing the layers and details of ink.
2. Good resilience: This paper possesses excellent resilience, resisting tearing and capable of withstanding stretching and folding, suitable for creating durable artworks or documents.
3. Semi-transparency: Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper has a certain degree of transparency. When the paper is thin, the content on the back of the paper can be faintly seen, which is particularly useful in certain artistic creations.
4. Strong ink absorption: This paper can absorb ink well, resulting in full lines and vibrant colors in writing or painting, making it ideal for calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting.
5. Natural environmental friendliness: Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper is made from natural materials without the addition of any chemical components, harmless to humans and the environment, aligning with modern green environmental concepts.
6. Unique texture: Due to its handmade production process, each sheet of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper bears a unique texture and traces of manual work, giving each artwork a distinct personality.
7. Durability: Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper, treated with special processes, possesses excellent durability, capable of long-term preservation without aging or yellowing, making it suitable for creating artworks or documents requiring long-term preservation.
In summary, Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper, with its unique crafting technique and excellent performance, has a wide range of applications in calligraphy, painting, and the production of traditional handicrafts. At the same time, it carries rich cultural connotations and historical value, serving as a treasure of traditional Chinese papermaking techniques.
References:
- “Intangible Cultural Heritage Story: Crafting Technique of Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper Xuan Paper”
- “Decoding Intangible Cultural Heritage: Zhejiang Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage ‘Qianhong Peach Blossom Paper'”
- “Overseas Fan Circle! Listed Provincial Inventory!_Peach_Flower_Culture_Hall”
