How is Xuan paper made?

1. Preparation of core raw materials

1. Pteris serrata bark (core fiber source)

   • Harvesting : Select 2-3 year old Phellodendron branches and cut them in winter to obtain the best fiber.
   • Processing : After steaming and softening, peel and dry, soak in mountain spring water for several months to ferment naturally until the fibers become soft.

2. Shatin straw (supplementary material)

   • Material selection : Only local rice straw from Jingxian County is used, the fibers are slender and flexible.
   • Retting : After bundling, soak in lime water for 1-2 months to remove chlorophyll and impurities to make "straw blanks".

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2. Raw material processing flow

1. Cooking and separation

   • The bark of the golden sandalwood and the straw are steamed separately, and lime and soda ash are added to soften the fiber and sterilize it.
   • After steaming, it is repeatedly beaten (the traditional process requires manual beating tens of thousands of times) to completely separate the fibers into pulp.

2. Bleaching process

   • The pulp is spread on the hillside and naturally bleached by sunlight and rain for several months, forming white "Liaocao".

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3. Papermaking

1. Paper scooping (key process)

   • Two craftsmen work together to use a bamboo screen to evenly scoop fibers from the pulp trough to form wet paper sheets.
   • The speed and strength of the action must be precisely controlled to ensure that the thickness of the paper is uniform.

2. Dehydration by stacking

   • The wet paper sheets are stacked and pressed with heavy stones to remove excess water and increase the density of the paper.

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4. Drying and post-processing

1. Paper drying

   • The wet paper sheets are pasted on the drying wall, the surface is flattened with a pine brush, and the temperature is manually controlled to dry slowly.

2. Cutting and Inspection

   • After drying, the pieces are cut into traditional sizes (such as four feet or six feet) and defective ones are manually removed.

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Process characteristics and time consumption

• Complex process : From raw materials to finished products, it takes 108 processes and takes about 1 year .
• Uniqueness : Relying on Jingxian mountain spring water and traditional craftsmanship, its ink-absorbing properties and durability cannot be replaced by machine-made paper.

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Core technology comparison

Links	Traditional crafts	Modern improvements
Raw material handling	Natural fermentation, sun bleaching	Chemical bleaching (used by a few manufacturers)
Paper scoop tool	Handmade bamboo curtain	Mechanized papermaking (lower quality)
Drying method	Wall drying	Hot air drying (high efficiency)