Xuan Paper
Photos and video by Henry Li. Text by Casey Shannon and Tai Oi Yee
Xuan paper is one of the 'Four Treasures of the Study' and highly regarded as a treasure by sumi (ink) artists. Xuan (Shuen) paper is very fine paper used by calligraphy and sumi-e artists. It is thin mulberry bark paper ( called Xuan paper in China and Washi paper in Japan). It is also generically called "rice paper" in the west though rice is not one of the ingredients. It is highly absorbent and unforgiving. The brushstrokes have to be fluid and fast, and mistakes cannot be masked like on watercolor paper. Xuan Paper takes practice to use.
Xuan paper is one of the 'Four Treasures of the Study' and highly regarded as a treasure by sumi (ink) artists. Xuan (Shuen) paper is very fine paper used by calligraphy and sumi-e artists. It is thin mulberry bark paper ( called Xuan paper in China and Washi paper in Japan). It is also generically called "rice paper" in the west though rice is not one of the ingredients. It is highly absorbent and unforgiving. The brushstrokes have to be fluid and fast, and mistakes cannot be masked like on watercolor paper. Xuan Paper takes practice to use.
This paper is the brush painter's canvas. Mastering the way ink
behaves on the different
rice papers is one of the essential
skills of the brush painter. There
are basically two kinds of rice paper -- raw paper and sized paper. Shuen
Paper
(Xuan Paper) is raw paper and the
most popular paper in China among brush painters and calligraphers. It
is the most sensitive
of the rice papers, cheerfully
displaying dynamic strokes and complex shade variations with translucent
fluidity and original
spontaneity. Any brush painter will
tell you it is difficult to work with rice paper and takes years of
practice to
master.
Interesting fact: The reason Xuan Paper is called 'Rice Paper' in the West is because when the West came to the East, China wanted to protect it's paper making techniques and told Westerners that the paper was made from rice.
Mulberry Trees in Anhui, China
Quigtan Trees outside the paper mills.
Photo Courtesy of Henry Li
Xuan paper is made all by hand. There is no machinery used in the production of this treasured paper. For this reason, Xuan paper is very special and expensive.
My artist friend Henry Li recently went to China and visited the paper mill in Anhui, China. He filmed this very informative video of the paper being made in all the stages of creation. Enjoy!
For more information on 'The Four Treasures' go: Here
Director of North America Branch - ICCPS
International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society
国際中国書法国画家協会アメリカ支部：Ms. Casey Shannon アメリカ現代水墨画家
凱西香儂齋
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