Xuan paper is a fine, absorbent paper traditionally made in Anhui Province, China, and long regarded as the finest paper for Chinese calligraphy and ink painting. It takes its name from the historic prefecture of Xuanzhou, the area around present-day Xuancheng, through which it was traded.
The paper is made principally from the bark of the blue sandalwood tree, a tree native to the region known botanically as Pteroceltis tatarinowii, often combined with rice straw, through a lengthy process of soaking, steaming, bleaching in sunlight, pounding and sheet-forming by hand. The result is soft, strong, resistant to insects and long-lasting, and its absorbency allows ink and colour to spread in subtle gradations that are essential to Chinese brush techniques. Unsized raw Xuan paper suits expressive ink painting, while sized or treated varieties are used for detailed work. The craft has been recognised by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. In the West, Chinese papers are sometimes loosely called rice paper. For collectors of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, the paper's tone, condition and mounting are relevant to assessment, and foxing, tears and worming should be checked.
