Feature: Keeping China's centuries-old paper-making craft alive

KUNMING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- In a small village in southwest China's Yunnan Province, a crystal-clear stream has for generations been more than just a source of water -- it is the lifeblood of an ancient tradition: paper-making.

When she played in the stream as a child, local artisan Ai Ye liked to watch her village elders soak and wash the mulberry bark that would later be transformed into delicate sheets of handmade paper.

"We mimicked the adults when we played in the water," she remembered. "It was like a game. But gradually, I fell in love with the craft."

Unlike many of her peers who left the village to seek work in cities, Ai chose to stay and carry on the tradition. "Paper-making calms my mind," she said.

Mangtuan, a multi-ethnic village predominantly inhabited by the Dai people and located in the Dai-Va Autonomous County of Gengma, is renowned for its handmade paper. Of the 179 households in the village, over 60 are engaged in paper-making all year round, with more than 100 participating during the off-season for farming.

Paper is one of the four great inventions of ancient China. When Ai was 13, she first learned about Cai Lun, the inventor of the paper-making process during China's Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.). When Ai read a description of Cai's paper-making in her history textbook, she was immediately reminded of how the elderly people in her village would craft handmade paper.

After graduating from junior high school, Ai took up the mantle of older generations and returned to the village to practice paper-making, which she has continued for nearly 20 years.

The paper produced in the village is known as mulberry bark paper, made from bark taken from mulberry trees. From mid-April to September each year, villagers climb nearby mountains to cut the trees and strip their bark, carrying it back to dry and store, preparing what is needed for the next year's paper-making.

One sheet of paper takes three days to make. The process involves 11 detailed procedures in five main steps: soaking, steaming, pulping, sheet-forming and drying.

"The paper does not require bleaching. As long as the sunshine is good and the water from the stream is clear, the paper will be white," Ai said.

Hundreds of years ago, Mangtuan was designated as the county's official paper-making village, and the paper made there was used to transcribe Buddhist scriptures, playing a vital role in preserving and disseminating religious texts.

In 2006, the Dai paper-making technique was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, with Mangtuan being named one of two heritage sites. It was also the year that Ai returned to the village for paper-making.

Despite the presence of a large modern paper factory just 100 km away, Mangtuan's traditional craft has not only survived, but thrived.

Taking the traditional white paper as a starting point, Ai made innovative use of fresh flowers and leaves, arranging them in patterns she designed. She also experimented with coloring the flowers, and researched techniques to prevent dehydration.

Tourists and tea merchants who bought paper to wrap their tea products grew fond of these new styles, and prices surged significantly.

In 2014, Ai founded a handmade art company, attracting the village's paper-making households to join. Combining market demand, the company has developed over 20 cultural and creative products to date, including table lamps, notebooks and handbags. These products have been exported to Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar and Thailand.

"We want our paper to enter people's daily lives and become part of everyday consumption," she said.

Last year, the village's paper production exceeded 3.9 million sheets, with an output value of over 7.8 million yuan (about 1.1 million U.S. dollars), providing employment for more than 120 locals and increasing the local per capita income by over 30,000 yuan.

Ai said that paper, like people, has emotions. "If you treat it well, it will naturally not let you down." ■