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The official feature connects traditional Xuan paper-making (宣纸制作技艺) with Jing County, Anhui Province. It describes raw materials including qingtan (青檀) tree bark and rice straw from sandy fields (沙田稻草), and stages including processing the materials, forming sheets from pulp, drying and cutting the paper. This craft involves preparing materials and making production judgements; it is more than the name of the finished paper.
Observe the change from water to paper
At a demonstration, ask the presenter how pulp becomes a wet sheet, how the sheet is transferred and dried, and which stages require the maker’s judgement from experience. These questions help you understand the process; they are not a basis for operating equipment or carrying out chemical treatments yourself.
How do two makers form a sheet together?
A 2019 field report describes two makers working together to form sheets: the 掌帘 (zhǎnglián) maker controls force and speed, while the 抬帘 (táilián) maker assists with handling the papermaking screen. Watch the screen’s movement first, then ask how the two coordinate, rather than looking only at the finished sheet.
“Drying” does not always mean drying in the sun
In the same report, 晒纸 (shàizhǐ) means lifting wet sheets individually and brushing them onto a heated surface to dry. We therefore describe the action as “drying on a heated surface”, rather than simply “sun-drying”. During a visit, observe how the wet sheet is supported and transferred, then ask which movements help prevent damage. This explains the process described in the report; it is neither a statement of current venue arrangements nor a guide to operating it yourself.
Drying connects the stages before and after it
The Xuan paper feature’s account of Xing Chunrong (邢春荣) identifies lifting wet sheets, placing them on the drying wall and brushing them as challenges he knew closely. It also describes how drying sits between sheet-forming and cutting: he communicated with colleagues at other stages, feeding back problems and improving his own work. Here, “cutting” refers to a stage in making sheets of paper, not the art of paper-cutting.
This adds another question to observation: beyond what a pair of hands does, what does this stage receive, what does it pass on, and how are problems communicated back? This is a reading of one person’s working experience, not a rule for every workshop. The original page gives no publication date, so we do not infer his current role or teaching arrangements.
Learning to coordinate sheet-forming
The 2019 report recounts Zhou Donghong’s (周东红) experience: becoming proficient at sheet-forming takes at least three years, and some long-serving makers still do not master the lead role of 掌帘. This distinguishes understanding a movement from performing it proficiently and draws attention to the practice behind two-person coordination. It records the interviewee’s experience at that time, not a standard course length or a guarantee of mastery after three years.
Compare materials with Jiajiang bamboo paper
The Jing County Xuan paper accounts describe qingtan bark and rice straw from sandy fields; the Jiajiang bamboo-paper account from Sichuan identifies young bamboo as the principal raw material. This is a concrete difference between two papermaking traditions in different places, not another production location for the same Xuan paper tradition. Begin a comparison by checking the stated raw materials, then note processing and conditions of use. Colour, a name or the word “handmade” alone cannot establish materials, origin or suitability.
Keep the two records distinct
The feature gives the national project name as “Xuan paper-making” (宣纸制作技艺): first batch, 2006, reference Ⅷ-65, submitted by Jing County, Anhui Province. The record card on this page uses that national entry, without combining names or dates from different heritage lists.
The same Chinese feature also records the inscription of 宣纸传统制作技艺, traditional Xuan paper-making, in 2009 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a different list from the national record dated 2006 above. When citing either, keep its name, list and year together; do not present Ⅷ-65 as a UNESCO record number.
Explain the intended use before choosing paper
Calligraphy practice, painting and mounting may have different requirements. Ask the seller to state the paper type, specifications, treatment and suitable uses in writing, and request a sample where possible. Names and promotional descriptions cannot replace trying the paper, nor can they alone establish its raw materials or origin.