Xinhua News Agency, Kunming, February 4th, title: Dongba Paper: A "Paper with Stories"
Xinhua News Agency reporters Meng Jia and Zeng Wei
In the "Xiuhong Dongba Paper Mill" in Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, He Xiuhong, the inheritor of Dongba paper of the Naxi ethnic group, and his wife Wang Zhengqiong put the boiled bark pulp into the tools used for pounding.
Subsequently, one person stepped on a pedal weighing tens of kilograms at the rear end of the tool, one person adjusted the amount of bark pulp in the wooden mortar at the front end, and the two cooperated with each other to repeatedly pound.
They often do such heavy physical work for several hours.
"To make a real piece of Dongba paper, the grind is just one step." He Xiuhong said with a smile, there are more than ten steps from collecting the raw materials.
It is this original and rigorous process that makes the Dongba paper produced with the characteristics of anti-moth, waterproof, and long-term preservation, and has the saying that "paper has a thousand years of life".
Dongba paper is a kind of handmade paper made from the bark of watermelon flower. It is the most important paper for scripture writing in Dongba and has a long reputation in northwestern Yunnan.
The Naxi hand-made paper making skills are the first batch of skills to be included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.
He Xiuhong's father and Ziqiang are well-known Dadongba. He Xiuhong has been deeply influenced by Dongba culture since childhood. Making Dongba paper with his father is an important part of his childhood life.
After the death of his father, He Xiuhong dropped out of school to work with her brothers.
After walking for more than ten years, he has changed countless jobs, but Dongba paper has always been a bond in his heart.
It is with Dongba paper as a carrier that Dongba scriptures and Dongba paintings can be spread.
"This piece of paper records the story of our Naxi people. I have a sense of mission to pass on Dongba paper." He Xiuhong said.
In 2004, 25-year-old He Xiuhong returned to his hometown, regaining the skills of his father's generation, and started making Dongba paper.
The "Xiuhong Dongba Paper Mill" founded by him specializes in the production and sales of Dongba paper.
In ancient papermaking, failure is common, but He Xiuhong never thought of giving up. “Adjust your mentality and do it seriously and down-to-earth. There is nothing bad to do.” With this determination, he made more paper. The better it comes, it is gradually recognized and appreciated by people in the industry.
Nowadays, the ancient paper of "Xiuhong Dongba Paper Mill" has become the designated scripture paper of Lijiang Dongba Cultural Research Institute, Lijiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center and many old Dongba people.
After He Xiuhong's paper mill gradually gained fame, many tourists came to experience it.
“It’s easy to do it with the teacher. I didn’t expect so many skills.” said Mr. Su, a tourist who was experiencing the “paper fishing” link. The thickness of the paper varies.” He likes the process of making paper by hand, and being able to make a piece of Dongba paper by himself gives him a sense of accomplishment.
He Xiuhong did not stop at continuing the ancient skills. On the basis of adhering to the tradition, he continued to innovate and try to make Dongba Paper develop more diversified.
In an exhibition, He Xiuhong was inspired and came up with the idea of combining embroidery with Dongba paper.
His wife Wang Zhengqiong is good at embroidery, so she uses paper as cloth and embroiders beautiful and vivid patterns on Dongba paper.
This Dongba paper embroidery technique has achieved a breakthrough, embodies the strong and durable characteristics of Dongba paper, and also integrates traditional paper art and embroidery art.
Recently, He Xiuhong is trying to combine printmaking, batik and Dongba paper, and wants to further promote Dongba paper through the "intangible heritage + intangible cultural heritage" approach.
While working hard to create Dongba paper cultural and creative products, he also tried to promote this technique into the campus.
He said: "I hope that the Naxi people's hand-made papermaking skills can be passed on from generation to generation and continue to write culture."