In a time when advancements in technology have made it easier to produce paper, Mao Shengli, a traditional Chinese rice paper maker, is sticking to the traditional and complicated procedures of making the delicate material in order to better present Chinese culture.
Great art comes with great artists. But Mao is a different kind of artist. He is a traditional Chinese rice paper maker, or to be more specific a rice paper dryer. It is a kind of profession that may only exist in Chinese culture nowadays as rice paper is irreplaceable as one of the four treasures for the finest Chinese paintings and calligraphy works.
Throughout Mao's life, he has been preoccupied with the traditional way of making rice paper which consists of 108 procedures and 80 percent of them are operated by human hands.
Twenty-nine years ago, Mao picked up a brush for the first time and became an apprentice in a factory. Most others left because they could not stand the hot temperature and humidity, but he stayed. Now he has become one of the best and still has not stopped.
In Jingxian County of east China's Anhui Province, lies the origin of traditional rice paper. Mao, along with more than a hundred workers, has just finished their "big paper" experiment - a piece of paper with a length of 11 meters and a width of 3.6 meters compared to the usual length of 6.6 meters for normal rice paper.
The first key step is filtering the paper pulp through a bamboo tapestry. Forty-four workers at both sides of the tapestry work together to finish the very delicate procedure. They stick to the same pace and listen to the water in order to make the pulp evenly precipitate on the tapestry. Then a piece of wet paper is formed. The workers then press a pile of wet paper in order to squeeze out the water. After drying for one day, then it's Mao and two other workers' turn.
In ancient times, the drying process took place outdoors. But now, it has turned indoors with a special kind of wall-like black heater. Mao soaks a piece of white coarse linen into the rice water then wraps it around a wooden lath. Next, he paints the rice water on the heater. The density of the rice water and temperature on the heater's surface all decide whether the paper can stick on it perfectly. The whole process has no numerical standards. All is based on Mao's experience. Then he stands on a three-meter high platform and starts the first brush to paste the water onto the heater.
"It has to be accurate. Even if the top of the paper is just slightly crooked, the bottom may drag onto the ground. So it has to be accurate when you lay it on the heater," said Mao.
Mao's work is of course perfect without any bubbles or wrinkles in between.
The two most daunting challenges for rice paper dryers are "big paper" and "thin paper." The first one is accomplished now, but the second one follows. The Shanghai Museum is currently repairing ancient paintings of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.), which requires a very special kind of Chinese rice paper called "Qixiu" (literally meaning "ingenious embroidery"), with an extremely demanding technique called "Zhahua" (literally meaning "embroidery").
"As thin as cicada's wings and as pure as snow, shaking like fine silk without sound. This is the description of " Zhahua." Yet, Qixiu is the most difficult in Zhahua, weighing only half of normal paper,"said Wang Shuicai, a factory manager at the China Rice Paper Co. Ltd.
Fortunately, the museum has found Mao, who has dealt with numerous daunting tasks before.
"For Zhahua, you cannot rub the paper. You have to tap very gently in order to separate the pieces. But even if you know how to tap, you are not sure if it's one or two pieces of paper that gets separated because the paper is just so thin that you can't tell. My teacher taught me how to tap for a week until my figure was swollen, " said Mao.
After studying with his co-workers, Mao decides to use a more traditional way -- to paint the rice water in circles so that it can be better pasted on the heater. Here, Qixiu comes alive again. Mao is satisfied.
According to Mao, although the paper making industry has mostly been equipped with machines, the traditional way of making paper will never be replaced. To him, it's more than a job.www.cctvplus.com/news/20161004...
"Rice paper is an attachment to us. I, myself, am proud of it," said Mao.More on:Subscribe us on KZread: / cctvplus
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