Shandong's mulberry paper resonates with cultural charm

Editor's Note:

The Yellow River runs through nine cities in East China's Shandong province and flows into the sea, bringing vitality and prosperity to the land. Along its banks, numerous intangible cultural heritage projects have been created and inherited, reflecting the colorful scenery, brilliant culture and rich diversity of Shandong. Shandong is a province with a long history and a splendid civilization. It boasts 186 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, ranking it second in the country. Moreover, eight projects have been inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, according to the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Join me on a journey in Meeting the Sea Along the Yellow River in Shandong, to discover the treasures of intangible cultural heritage there and appreciate the charms of this ancient and modern land.

Appealing, evocative and reminiscent of times gone by, mulberry paper is handmade and comes from the tender skin of mulberry trees. [Photo by Wang Ying for chinadaily.com.cn]

Mulberry paper, a very special type of handmade paper that has officially been listed as an intangible cultural heritage item, is a treasure of its kind that can take people back through a thousand years of history and culture.

Mulberry paper is mainly produced in Linqu county in Weifang city – in East China's Shandong province – where it has a long tradition and a unique technique. It's also known as Zuo Bo paper, named after a famous papermaker in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).

The raw materials for making it the tender skin of mulberry trees, a small amount of hemp and spring water from Laolong Bay, a local scenic spot. The paper is soft and tough and can last a very long time without damage.

It has been widely used for various purposes – such as folk documents, door and window pasting, lantern making, wine and food packaging, in painting and calligraphy and for restorations.

Making a piece of mulberry paper requires more than 70 steps, including picking, soaking, fermenting and another 12 basic steps. The process is complex and delicate and reflects the wisdom and skills of the papermakers.

Mulberry paper is not only a practical product, but also a cultural carrier. It has a simple and elegant appearance, lends itself in calligraphy to a vigorous and old-fashioned ink style and also has an evocative historical and times gone by feeling. It has been witness to the changes and development of China's civilization.

Lian Enping, an inheritor of Linqu mulberry paper, said he would continue to explore and standardize the production technique and make high-quality mulberry paper for Chinese painting and calligraphy, to preserve the bloodline of this thousand-year-old technique. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)