| Korean paper | |
 | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 한지 |
| Hanja | 韓紙 |
| RR | hanji |
| MR | hanji |
Korean paper orhanji (Korean: 한지), colloquially known asrice paper,[1] refers to traditional handmadepaper fromKorea.[2][3]Hanji is made from the inner bark of thepaper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera;닥;dak), a tree native to Korea that grows well on its rocky mountainsides. Another crucial material used in its creation is themucilage that oozes from the roots ofHibiscus manihot. This substance helps suspend the individual fibers in water.
Traditionalhanji is made in laminated sheets using thewe bal method (a sheet formation technique), which allows for multi-directional grain.[4] The process of creatinghanji also employsdochim, a method of pounding finished sheets to compact fibers and lessen ink bleed.[5][6][7][8][9]
Papermaking arrived in Korea not long after its beginnings in China. Its origins in Korea are believed to fall somewhere between the 3rd century and the end of the 6th century. At first, paper was made crudely out of hemp and ramie scraps (마지;maji).[10] In 1931, a piece ofhanji was found at an archeological dig at a tomb site from the Lelang period (108 BCE–313 CE).[10]
During theThree Kingdoms period (57 BCE–668 CE), each kingdom used paper to record their official histories. In 610, The Buddhist monkDamjing whomGoguryeo presented to Japan was able to make the production method of paper and ink.[11] The world's oldest surviving wood block print is theBuddhistDharani Sutra called thePure Light Dharani Sutra. Listed as Korea's National Treasure No. 126, it was printed ontohanji c. 704 and is still in good condition, bearing the papermaker's name. Paper crafts were also developed in the Three Kingdoms period, such as kites and other household items, and continued to flourish ashanji production increased. Silla Kingdom, one of the Three Kingdoms, settled the paper industry deeply into Korean culture, and called itgyerimji.
Hanji's golden age peaked in theGoryeo period (918–1392), which saw the rise in quality and use ofhanji in conjunction with printmaking. Paper was used to make money, Buddhist texts, and medical and history books. The government encourageddak cultivation and paper production, and dak was planted countrywide in the 12th century. Often called Goryeoji,hanji became famous in Asia for its strength and luster, and became a heavy trade item to China.
The Goryeo period is famous for two major landmarks in Koreanprintmaking and paper history. One was the carving of theTripitaka Koreana onto over 80,000 wooden blocks, which contain no errors and are still extant in their original home atHaeinsa, a Buddhist temple inSouth Gyeongsang Province. It was carved twice, due to its destruction by Mongol invasions in 1232; the final version was completed in 1251. The second accomplishment was the printing in 1377 ofJikji, a guide for students of Buddhism, and the world's oldest extant book printed using metal movable type. Printed ontohanji, it is housed today in the National Library of France, and displays proof of movable metal type well before Gutenberg's time.
The beginning of theJoseon period (1392–1910) saw continued flourishing of thehanji industry as paper permeated daily lives of Koreans through books, household items, and popular items such as fans and tobacco pouches. From the start of the Joseon period in an effort to promote austerity, artificial flowers that had been made from wax and silk were replaced by paper versions. Later, paper flowers were also used to replace other versions for Buddhist rites and festivals.
Variations ofhanji became common, such as colored paper, and paper made from mixed fibers including pine bark, rice straw, and bamboo. This came partly from a need to find new materials beyond dak due to the huge demand for books. The government created an administrative agency devoted to paper production, and also supplied troops with paper armor, which was waterproof, a good insulator, and provided protection against arrows and swords. Oiledhanji was used to make greenhouses c. 1450 because the paper, made of natural materials, could control temperature, humidity, and light effectively. However, the Joseon government pressured Buddhist monks to increase their production ofhanji that they were already making for Buddhist scriptures since the 15th century.
As the final blow tohanji, western methods of paper mass production were introduced in 1884.
In the 1970s, theNew Village Movement that aimed to modernize Korea rapidly also led to further decimation of thehanji industry, as it eradicated traditional straw-thatched homes that usedhanji to cover floors, walls, ceilings, windows, and doors. The most recent threat to the Korean paper industry is the rise of inexpensive paper made in China, where labor costs and overhead are significantly lower than in Korea.
As of 2009, twenty-sixhanji mills remain operational in South Korea. They makehanji for artists, calligraphers, conservators, temples, and laypeople.[12][13][14][15][16][17]
An example of modernHanji Paper art, a unique alchemy of ancient Asian techniques and modern Western imagery by the YUNS can be seenhere.
The two materials mainly used when makinghanji is thepaper mulberry (called the Dak tree) and theaibika. More than 6 steps of the manufacturing process deal with mending and preparing these two materials (Seo).
Thepaper mulberry is a commonly grown plant in Asia, growing in the feet of mountains that gets a lot of sunlight, reaching a growth height of usually 3 meters. In Korean history, people used the fibers from these trees to make clothes, and they began to use it as the source for paper during the Goryeo dynasty. The Joseon dynasty, which came after Goryeo, recommended people to grow more of these mulberry trees.
Theaibika usually finishes growing in October. Their roots contain a slimy mucus (called Dak Pul) which helps hold the paper together and give viscosity to the bark.
Ancient Koreans usually started makinghanji during the winter, because the mucus fromAbelmoschus manihot became easily fermented due to the summer heat. Ancient Koreans believed that it was important to choose a good day with a nice sky to start makinghanji, and often gave religious rituals to the spirits in order to wish for a favorable condition and a smooth process.
The process of makinghanji differs by what ingredients the makers choose, and what methods of sheet formation they take to make the final product. However, the most traditional and basic process follows eight steps:
The overall process of makinghanji was very strenuous. One had to dedicate all of his or her life to makinghanji, and traditionalhanji makers would say “I will not let my son be a container man (the person who strains the fiber through a bamboo screen) even if I am driven to the worst”.[18] It requires a lifelong practice to create perfecthanji, and this is the reason why it holds a great cultural value in Korea. These days, people use various technology to improve the process. For example, thehanji makers use a heated stainless steel drum, brushing every part of the paper. This is the method that they take to dry the papers evenly, which is adapted from how traditionalhanji makers dried them on the floor of a warm room.[19]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved. Find sources: "Korean paper" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Hanji is a very reputable paper among Asians, and it is famous for its durability. The fact that other historical print papers have to be preserved in special containers whenhanji papers can still be displayed in museums proves this fact. The oldest text made ofhanji currently existing in Korea,Mugujeonggwang, is still well preserved after about 800 years.[20][21]
Hanji is a good ventilator, but it also acts as an insulator. Traditional Koreans covered their wooden doors withhanji because it would cool down in the summer and make them warm during winter.
In March 2006, there was a lamp festival in Paris, France. Many sizes and colors of lamps were lighted in the Boulogne park. Soon after the festival started, there was a sudden rain, and people panicked. They were worried that all the lamps would turn off. However, lamps made out of traditionalhanji did not turn off. It did not let the rain through, protecting candle lights within, and it portrayed one of the many advantages ofhanji.[20]
The bark from mulberry trees contain lignin and holocellulose, which contribute to the durability ofhanji. Ordinary paper has a pH level of 4–5.5, meaning that it is acidic. If paper has a low pH level (more acidic), it is completely decomposed in 100 years.Hanji, however, uses Hibiscus Manihot, which has a pH level of 7 and does not get dismantled easily.[20][22]
Hanji has approximately 200 types, each with a specific name according to its material, production method, use, color, size and thickness, as well as location. Some of them include:[21][23]
| Name | Korean | Hanja | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ganji | 간지 | 簡紙 | Rolled paper used for writing letters. |
| Gwangyoji | 관교지 | 官敎紙 | Used by the government to issue orders. |
| Jangpanji | 장판지 | 壯版紙 | Used to cover floors. |
| Changpanji | 창호지 | 窓戶紙 | Used to cover doors. |
| Dobaeji | 도배지 | 塗褙紙 | Used as wallpaper. |
| Pyoji | 표지 | 表紙 | Used as a book cover. |
| Unhwaji | 운화지 | 雲花紙 | White-colored paper, also calledseolhwaji (설화지; 雪花紙) for its snow-like color. |
| Jukcheongji | 죽청지 | 竹靑紙 | Thin white-colored paper. |
| Hwangji | 황지黃紙 | 黃紙 | Yellow-colored paper. |
| Hwanji | 환지 | 還紙 | Made from discarded or old paper, usually from the test papers of those who failed thecivil service examinations, or from stolen official records.[23] |
| Daehoji | 대호지 | 大好紙 | Wide and long paper. |
| Sohoji | 소호지 | 小好紙 | Narrow and short paper. |
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved. Find sources: "Korean paper" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Ever since paper was first introduced to commoners in ancient Korea, its uses have been adapted in various ways.Hanji was used to help people in their daily lives. They covered their door frames withhanji to help control room temperature. Those of high social status, called Yangbans, recorded various documents onhanji. This is one of the main reasons why Korea's ancient records are so well preserved. It was one of the main export products that Korean dynasties used in trading (Seo). Another unique usage ofhanji is in armor, which was calledjigap. Even thoughhanji is just paper, it was very durable and tough. It was waterproof, and did not rip easily.
There are two divisions ofhanji art: two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Two-dimensionalhanji art uses paper of various colors to create an image in a similar format as a painting. However, the paper itself is folded and crumpled to make the image stick up from the paper it is adhered to. People make various shapes with Hanji and frame it to exhibit on their wall. Three-dimensionalhanji art is similar to paper mache, in that it can make sculptural objects that may stand unsupported. Traditionalhanji craft forms include jiho, jido, and jiseung. Jiho is a method that useshanji scraps soaked in water and then added to glue, making a clay-like paste that can be molded into lidded bowls. Jido is the craft of pasting many layers ofhanji onto a pre-made frame, which can be made into sewing baskets and trunks. Ancient Koreans commonly put their sewing materials in small boxes decorated with colorful Hanji ("Hanji Crafting"). Jiseung is a method of cording and weaving strips ofhanji to make a wide array of household goods, including trays, baskets, mats, quivers, shoes, washbasins, and chamberpots. Other than these, Hanji was made into various flowers to decorate Buddhist temples ("Hanji Crafting").
| History |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Types of paper |
| ||||||||
| Materials | |||||||||
| Specifications | |||||||||
| Manufacture and process | |||||||||
| Paper industry | |||||||||
| Uses | |||||||||
