Papermaking process of Guizhou ancient ancient method needs to be inherited and protected

The ancient village Yishanbangshui is located in the hinterland of Maolan National Nature Reserve. In front of a Diaojiaolou, an old man skilled in papermaking holding a mold next to the pulp pool. This old man is called Zhai Zifan and is the only inheritor of the traditional papermaking technology in the ancient village.

This year's 86-year-old Sui Fanfan learned ancient papermaking from his early years, and he was very familiar with papermaking techniques. According to reports, the local papermaking process mainly consists of: cutting bamboo shoots from the mountain into half-millimeter-long mash, putting it in a lime pool for four or five months, removing and floating for one month with fresh water, and then soaking the bamboo. Crushed, grinded with a roller, and added chopped cilantro leaves into the pool. Stir it evenly. Then “pick” the paper, squeeze it, dry it, flatten it, and use a knife to engrave a ruled pattern on the paper. Process.

For centuries, the primitive and primitive pure hand-made paper craftsmanship of Lugu Village had been brilliant for a time. The ethnic minorities who lived in the mountains for generations used it as an important economic source. With the passage of time, this traditional craft has been subjected to external shocks, losing its old style, and gradually faded out of the historical stage. Now handmade papermaking is only used for some funerals and sacrificial activities of villagers.

Mr. Lao said: “Some young people in the village are working outside to make money and are unwilling to learn papermaking skills. Even their children are unwilling to inherit this technique.” Qi Wanheng, the son of Zhai Zifan, said: “He is 55 years old this year. People like him understand the basic methods and processes of papermaking, but none of their next generation will be able to.”

As the only inheritor of traditional ancient paper in the village, Zhai Zifan was very worried: “If traditional papermaking is lost in one's own hands on one day, I really am sorry for my ancestors. I'm sorry to be a descendant. I really want to pass on the papermaking skills in my lifetime.”

“The ancient papermaking raw materials in Luan Village are sufficient, but the paper pulp produced by stone pressing is rather rough, and there is no detailed mechanical production, and the single use has limited sales in the market. This is the reason why ancient papermaking is difficult to survive.”覃 覃 Ming analysis.

According to Yan Yuanjian, director of the Libo County Institute of Cultural Relics, ancient papermaking is known as the “living fossil” of ancient oriental papermaking and has a high historical, cultural, and economic value. “As a unique process that inherits thousands of years of culture, there are still many unexplored values ​​for the ancient papermaking method in the ancient villages. The scientific protection of the ancient papermaking process can provide more possibilities for the future development of papermaking technology.”

How to protect and pass on the endangered cultural heritage? Wei Hongmin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Zibo County Party Committee and the Propaganda Department, believes that ancient paper was the “heralker” of cultural communication. It has been explored for thousands of years. Nowadays, all localities attach importance to the protection of intangible cultural heritage, but the subsequent protection measures are difficult. Keeping up with the intangible cultural heritage in some places, the intangible cultural heritage is in a state of self-destruction. Therefore, “Ancient ancient papermaking techniques must be combined with tourism to increase tourism income, increase people’s income, and increase people’s sense of national culture, so that cultural heritage can be better inherited and protected.”

In ancient villages, the ancient villages also did some work in protecting cultural heritage. The village took advantage of the fact that it is located in the Maolan Reserve. In 2009, it set up a farmer's professional tourism cooperative to promote ancient and colorful national culture. According to the director of the village, Lou Liming, more than 30,000 tourists visit the ancient village of Luan every year. "In the future, through the use of papermaking techniques, Buyi Opera, Buyi Folk Song and other ethnic cultural performances, visitors will be taken to live, eat and stay. After increasing their income, the hand-made papermaking technology will be permanently passed on.