Snowy Plateau Exotic Flower: Tibetan People's Tibetan Paper Complex

“The history of Tibet is recorded on Tibetan paper.” Speaking of Tibetan paper with a history of more than 1300 years, 60-year-old Qiang Bazun’s eyes glow with the pilgrim’s sincerity. “The Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and other religions The reason why the scriptures of the holy sites can be preserved after thousands of years of wind and rain is very important is because the papers used in these books are Tibetan unique Tibetan paper."

In Qingba Welfare Ethnic Handicraft Industry Co., Ltd., founded by Qiangba Zunzhu, the reporter saw a piece of simple and gentle Tibetan paper that turned into an antique scroll of paintings in the hands of the tradesmen. Notebooks, colorful paper lanterns... From time to time, tourists from all over the world come here to visit and buy a batch of Tibetan paper products.

“You see, more and more people are now paying attention to Tibetan paper and Tibetan paper. Last year on May 20, Tibetan paper production technology was also included in the first national intangible cultural heritage list. As a national handicraft and art Products, Tibetan paper is radiating a strong vitality." Talking about the rise and fall of the Tibetan paper millennium, the unyielding Qiangba beads have become endless. He was sent to the Drepung Monastery for eight years since he was four years old, and those Tibetan papers with Holy Scriptures accompany him to grow up. Since then, he has made a deep love for Tibetan paper, and his life is inseparable.

Tibetan paper was produced in the middle of the 7th century AD. After Princess Wencheng entered the country and brought paper, the Tibetan and Chinese craftsmen in the Han and Han ethnic groups did not have the raw materials such as bamboo, rice, and fishnet used in the Central Plains papermaking industry. After many years of exploration, they used poisonous wolfweed and other poisonous weeds. The plateau plants are used as raw materials to produce unique Tibetan paper. This paper has the characteristics of high strength, natural anti-corruption, insect prevention, and no fading. For millennia, it silently recorded the history of Tibet and witnessed the progress of civilization in Tibet.

Since the 1960s, under the impact of modern papermaking industry, the Tibetan paper manufacturing industry, which has always maintained the traditional manual production mode, has rapidly shrunk. By the 1980s, the use of domestic paper was almost entirely dependent on imports from neighboring countries. Seeing that the ancient Tibetan paper disappeared in his hometown of Tibet, the Qiangba Pearls were in a hurry: "As a Tibetan, we must stand up and do something to save the national papermaking process!"

Tibetans have a saying: "If you have a firm resolve, please put your vows on the table!" In 1990, Qiangbazhu started to take people to Tarbes, Roza, Ali and Nimu. In history, the main production areas of Tibetan paper were searched for, visited local old artists, and recorded their oral arts. However, due to the disappearance of Tibetan paper production, they did not see the actual production process of Tibetan paper. With only the intermittent memories of the old people, Tibetan paper could not be successfully manufactured. During this period, several old artists he visited have died one after another. The rescue and excavation of Tibetan paper production technology has become an urgent task. In 1993, Qiangba Zunzhu contributed and received a number of old artists such as Zun Buzha and Gogol, who lived in Lhasa to learn and exchange ideas. They finally worked out a complete process and produced the first Tibetan paper.

“In this era, only inheritance is not enough, and the traditional culture of the nation needs to be developed and innovated.” The sense of national responsibility on the shoulders of Qiang Bazu reminds him all the time. For more than a decade, Caiquan Welfare National Handicraft Co., Ltd. has grown from producing only single-use Tibetan paper to mass-producing a variety of multi-series Caiquan branded Tibetan paper, ending the history of Tibetan imports from India and Nepal. They also developed hundreds of Tibetan paper crafts such as murals, umbrellas, lanterns, greeting cards, photo frames, calendars, and wallpapers. In the product showroom, a set of hand-drawn dozens of pages of Sakyamuni enlightenment story atlas, priced at more than 1,700 yuan. While the added value has been greatly improved, their Tibetan paper products have also become rare items on the international market. It is precisely because of this that the People's Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region has issued a special product certificate to them. The Autonomous Region Economic and Trade Commission and the Enterprise Management Bureau have also awarded them national arts and crafts product design gold and silver prizes respectively. The Lhasa Chengguan District Government has also put the national handicraft industry R&D center. Located here.

“Tibetan paper is a wonderful work of the Chinese nation’s culture on the snow-covered plateau,” Qiangba Zunzhu told reporters with confidence. “I firmly believe that the hidden potential of Tibetan paper is huge. We must give new meaning and function to traditional craftsmanship. Let more Tibetan handicrafts be sold to the Mainland and overseas, allowing Tibetan traditional culture to go further.”