【文／Discover Taipei】
Paper plays a leading role in many segments of our lives. Like to know more about how it’s traditionally made in Taiwan? Maybe even like to try your hand at the art yourself? Or learn about the specialty papers that play a role in our days? Let’s go find out!
From Bamboo to Washi, Coarse to Fine
The beginnings of Taiwan’s paper-making industry can be traced back to the 1663~1683 period of rule by Zheng Chenggong (鄭成功), better known as Koxinga (國姓爺) in the West, and his descendants. The bamboo paper-making method was introduced to the island at this time. The use of bamboo as a paper-making material is still widespread today, such as in the making of spirit money (joss paper) for religious worship. During Taiwan’s Japanese era, the Japanese introduced a new technique, in which mulberry or gampi bark was used. The longer fibers were used to make a paper akin to cotton paper, with a simple, earthy feel. Gampi bark was used to make Xuan paper (宣紙), known for its brightness.
With the introduction of these new techniques, the abundant timber and purity of its water brought the Nantou County (南投縣) township of Puli (埔里鎮) to the fore. Its water is low in iron, enabling the production of highest-quality paper. Any production in which the water used contains impurities, or during which chemicals are added, tends to produce low quality paper which is easy to decay.
In the years after Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule in 1945, agricultural crop waste was used in paper production. Examples include Puli-produced water-bamboo shoot fiber as well as pineapple leaf, rice straw, sugarcane skin, and ramie from the south. These could be used to craft paper in a wide range of varieties, though the rougher texture wasn’t not as fine as that produced with tree bark, and the shorter fibers also resulted in less tensile strength.
From Handmade-Paper Factory to Museum
After this quick history primer, if interested in learning more about paper’s many applications and perhaps a little first-hand experience with the paper-making process, a visit to the Suho Memorial Paper Museum (樹火紀念紙博物館) on Taipei’s Chang’an East Road (長安東路) is highly recommended. It offers a detailed explanation of the paper-making process and paper applications in both Chinese and English.
The museum’s origins go back to 1958, when Chen Suho (陳樹火) opened the Chang Chuen Cotton Paper (長春棉紙廠) factory in his hometown, Puli. The majority of the paper produced was made by hand. Chen had always had good relations with the Japanese, and wanted to both emulate and preserve their high-quality techniques and craftsmanship. He always wanted to open a museum, and in 1995 his daughter, Chen Ruihui (陳瑞惠), made the dream reality by opening the Taipei museum.
Open almost 19 years now, the museum operates much like a small paper mill. All the various tools used in paper making are on display – beater, forming vat, press, flat dryer. Explanation of the development and techniques used in paper-making is provided in a combination of permanent and special displays, exploring the art, originality and innovation, and craftsmanship involved. A science-interaction approach helps visitors understand paper’s transformations and applications.
Using Water to Turn Bark Into Paper
Water is a primary medium in the making of paper, as it reconfigures the fibers of the raw material (plant matter) so that they crisscross. The most traditional (and comparatively common) technique is called chaozhi (抄紙) in Chinese and koshigami in Japanese, meaning “paper forming.” In this, wood material is steeped, steamed, and rinsed, then the following four key steps are followed. 1/ Pulping; the material is immersed in water, beaten and dyed. 2/ Forming: A forming net or forming screen are used; the first is nylon mesh fitted to a wooden frame, and the second is a bamboo curtain that fits snugly within the frame. 3/ Pressing: Sheets are stacked to form tofu-like paper, then a press squeezes out 60-70% of its water content. 4/ Drying: Sheets are placed on a drying table and heated to 80 degrees centigrade. Now that you know the steps involved, perhaps you have the urge to visit the Suho Paper Memorial Museum and try things out for yourself.
DIY Paper-Making Experience:
1. Stir pulp, ensuring evenness, then take dip net and place in pulp trough, circle three times, slowly scooping up pulp.
2. Take three absorbent paper pads, press gently with hand.
3. Turn dip net over to reverse side, use cloth to clean and soak up moisture.
4. Place absorbent paper, pat with hand, continuing to remove moisture.
5. Place formed paper on drying surface.
6. Use brush to smooth paper, brushing in all directions.
7. After 3~5 minutes, complete process by peeling away paper sheet.
Everyday Uses for Paper
Paper is used for writing and for printing photos, and also has many other special everyday functions in our lives. For example, high-absorbency paper is used in coasters to prevent condensation from cups from dripping down to tabletops; in melamine tableware, in the form of adhesive paper featuring decorative patterns, giving the tableware a glazed appearance even though it’s not actually glazed; and to make coffee filters, using paper that is heat-resistant and non-toxic, with precisely calculated thickness and permeability so that the water flows through at the optimal speed, ensuring a good coffee flavor.
Paper is also used in the “paper hotpot” eaten in Japanese restaurants. The pot is made with paper to which food-grade waterproof glue is added; when used the paper won’t deform or leak. It also absorbs grease, a welcome bonus for today’s health-conscious diners.
In addition to applications related to food and drink, absorbent paper is also used in such items as oil-absorbing facial tissue. The size of the fibers is important to obtain the optimal capillary action. The treated surface fibers remove grease from the face and leave the skin with a smooth, soft feel. Cardboard, formed into a honeycomb-like structure and containing graphite, is bonded with other materials to create “honeycomb paper” used in fireproof building materials and fire partitions. When exposed to heat the graphite expands and clogs the pores of the paper honeycomb, with the result that air cannot circulate, making it difficult for flames to spread.
Paper is ubiquitous in our lives. From the practical to the aesthetic, this ever-present companion presents an ever-changing range of faces and character.
Information
Suho Memorial Paper Museum 樹火紀念紙博物館
Add: 68, Sec. 2, Chang’an E. Rd. (長安東路2段68號)
Tel: (02)2507-5535
Hours: Mon~Sat 09:30~16:30 (closed Sun, New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival)
Paper-making Sessions: 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00
Guided Tours: Sat 14:00
Website: www.suhopaper.org.tw
※日文版：
‧台湾の紙文化を探る
【Discover Taipei 2014年03月號】
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