Family Makes Paper the Same Way for 300 Years

Clarissa WeiAug 17, 2021

Xuan paper is what’s used in Chinese calligraphy and watercolor paintings. Artists and poets love using it because of its soft and fine texture.

Xuan paper is what’s used in Chinese calligraphy and watercolor paintings. Artists and poets love using it because of its soft and fine texture. It takes about 100 steps before this incredibly thin yet durable paper is made. We head to Anhui to a paper mill run by a family that has been making Xuan paper the traditional way for 27 generations.

Producer: Clarissa Wei
Videographer: Patrick Wong
Editor: Hanley Chu
Mastering: César del Giudice
Narration: Lyn Yang

Clarissa Wei

Clarissa Wei is a senior reporter at Goldthread. She spent the bulk of her career as a freelance journalist and has written for outlets like VICE, CNN, Eater, among others. Clarissa has backpacked to over a dozen provinces in China and was once a volcano hiking guide in Nicaragua.

Chinese culture