When we talk about Chinese handmade paper,you may think of Xuan paper. However,there are different kinds of Xuan paper in different places, and Lianshi paper from Fujian is one of them.
Going back 400 years, Lianshi paper is made by hand using bamboo. According to Fujian Daily, Lianshi paper weighs only 19g/m, but it is strong. Thanks to this, Lianshi paper was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage(省级非物质文化遗产) in Fujian in 2008.
Deng Jinkun,a 54-year-old handmade paper lover, became the 1lth inheritor(传承人)of Lianshi paper in 2005.
Deng said making Lianshi paper has 72 steps, including cutting bamboo,soaking(浸湿)，making pulp(纸浆), and drying(干燥). What makes it special is its bleaching(漂白) skill. "In May each year,bamboo is cut off,and soaked in lime(石灰) twice. The bamboo is then steamed(蒸) at a high temperature. After that,it's bleached on the mountain for four months, "Deng said. "This step makes it white, "Deng added.
Besides its traditional(传统的) art,Deng also brought in new ideas at the same time.
"Traditionally, we needed two people to bring the pulp together. Now,our Lianshi paper needs only one person because we use a rope to hang one side, "Deng said.
When they bake(烤，焙) the paper,the baking wall is also uncommon. According to Deng, other places use lime to make the wall. "After a trip to the University of Science and Technology of China in 2018, I decided to use tabia(三合土) to make the wall so that it could last longer,"Deng said. After it is built, the tabia baking wall can be used to make paper for 40 years.
