Shiqiao village in southwest China\’s Guizhou Province is known for its traditional papermaking techniques, which were included in the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list.
With a history of over 1,000 years, the traditional papermaking techniques in Shiqiao village, Nangao township, Danzhai county, are now seeing a renaissance.
Villagers make paper in Shiqiao village, Nangao township, Danzhai county, southwest China\’s Guizhou Province. (Photo/Yang Wukui)
Shiqiao\’s papermaking process is basically in line with the interpretation from the Tiangong Kaiwu, an encyclopedia that covers a wide variety of technical subjects, compiled by Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) scientist Song Yingxing.
Wang Xingwu, now in his 50s, learned the papermaking techniques from his father at 15 and gradually became a master of the ancient craft in the village.
When the National Library of China and the Palace Museum were looking for paper for the restoration of ancient books in 2004, Shiqiao village caught the attention of experts due to its ancient papermaking craft.
Back then, Wang Xingwu knew nothing about the restoration of ancient books. He came to the Palace Museum to gain the required knowledge and tried to make paper for that purpose. He insisted on making seven pieces of different sample paper every day and made adjustments according to experts\’ suggestions. After two years of effort, he finally succeeded in developing Yingchun Paper for the restoration of ancient books.
After verification from experts in 2016, Yingchun Paper made by Wang Xingwu was found to be consistent with the paper used in ancient books in terms of weight, color, thickness, fiber, density, tightness, and pH value. He then guided craftsmen to reproduce the paper used in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
\”Shiqiao has not only passed on the millennium-old papermaking craft, but also made paper that can be preserved for 1,000 years,\” he said, adding that Yingchun paper can last 1,500 years.
In the past, almost every family in Shiqiao village worked in the papermaking industry. However, with the popularity of machine-made paper, the handmade production model mostly based on family workshops gradually lost its advantage in the market.
Under Wang Xingwu\’s leadership, a papermaking cooperative was founded in 2009 for the unified production and sales of paper made with ancient craft.
While passing on the ancient papermaking craft, craftsmen learned modern techniques and sought innovation. The village has established a new papermaking base with better production, exhibition, experience and training facilities and improved production capacity.
More and more young people are coming together to promote paper made using the ancient craft. Wang Qiguang, a craftsman born in the 1980s, has turned paper made using the ancient craft into handicrafts such as notebooks and lamps, and sold them on e-commerce platforms.
\”We need to integrate paper made with the ancient craft into daily life,\” Wang Qiguang said.
\”Recently, the market for Shiqiao paper has been continuously expanding,\” said Liu Pan, an official in Nangao township, adding that the village\’s paper has been sold to cities including Beijing and Hangzhou, with the total profit in the last three years exceeding 6.2 million yuan (about $869,223).
Pan Yuhua, an inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of traditional papermaking techniques, has established an educational tour base in Shiqiao village, which not only showcases and promotes paper made with the ancient craft, but also further boosts the development of local agritainment facilities.
\”We need to turn this craft into tangible products to spread the culture and stories behind Shiqiao\’s papermaking techniques,\” Pan said.
Focusing on its ancient papermaking craft, Shiqiao village has built a national 3A-level tourist attraction integrated with historical culture, folk customs and more. It has also established an ancient paper research and development center and an experience center, and collaborated with travel agencies and universities to build an internship base.
There is a dazzling array of exquisite derivatives made with the ancient craft in the village, including decorative trees, lanterns, bookmarks, umbrellas and bags, as well as paper products including Huacao paper, a kind of paper that uses plants as part of the papermaking process.
Today, more than 160 kinds of paper made with the ancient craft have been created, including Yingchun paper and Huacao paper, which can be used for decoration, packaging, painting, restoration of ancient books, and other fields. Additionally, over 10 paper crafts have been developed.
\”Shiqiao paper will enjoy unlimited potential in the future,\” said Huang Meng, a designer with the papermaking cooperative in Shiqiao village. Huang hopes to build a bridge connecting the ancient intangible cultural heritage with modern aesthetics to make Shiqiao paper even more vibrant and inject new vitality into the ancient intangible cultural heritage.