The Dai paper is one of the most primitive papermaking techniques of China which originated from ManZhao Village of Yunnan Province. Historically, it had replaced the Beiye Paper and was used to copy the scriptures. Today, it has become an indispensable part of the culture of the Dai ethnic group.

The Dai paper is called as “Galasha” by Dai people, the manufacturing process is very environmentally friendly, through the repeated preparation of pure natural tree bark, after beating into the fiber, it will be all hand-made. The same bark paper method is the same as the method recorded in Qi MinYao Shu (an ancient Chinese book which recorded essential techniques for the welfare of the people, is the most completely preserved of the ancient Chinese agricultural texts, and was written by the Northern Wei Dynasty official Jia Sixie.), Dai paper technology can be described as a "livingfossil" of ancient Chinese papermaking.

The Dai paper has been concerned by an NGO and the local government since 2013. In the past few years, Man Zhao Village has also set up the traditional Dai handmade papermaking cooperatives, and explored actively the marketing model about materials and production purchase and develop the Dai traditional handmade papermaking skills, to avoid a small and low yield workshop investment. From 2015, the supplyis stable in between seven to eight million pieces a year, each household has 3 million to 5 million in revenue.

Time: 2017-05-06

Source: www.163.com