Legend of Cai Lun's papermaking

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: The Legend of Cai Lun's papermaking

Applicant: Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province

Project No.: 1046

Project No.: i-102

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: Folk Literature

Region: Shaanxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province

Protection unit: Hanzhong Folk Artists Association

The legend of Cai Lun's paper making

Applicant: Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province

The legend of Cai Lun's papermaking originated in the early Eastern Han Dynasty at the beginning of the second century. In the Yongyuan (89-105) years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cai Lun, who was then the official of the imperial court, arrived in Chang'an from Luoyang, went through Ziwu road to Longting county (now Longting Town, Yang County, Shaanxi Province) to search for raw materials for papermaking, and finally developed plant fiber paper with bark, waste hemp head, rotten fishing net and rag as raw materials in the first year of Yuanxing (105). Longting is one of his experimental sites for papermaking. His story of papermaking in Longting spread gradually through his adopted son, descendants of Cai family and local villagers. After 1700 years of oral inheritance, it has been handed down to the present day.

Cai Lun's invention of papermaking and plant fiber paper was first seen in dongguanhanji of the Eastern Han Dynasty and Houhanshu of Fan Ye of the Southern Dynasty. There are records in stone tablets and local chronicles of Longting in Yangxian county. In Longting and some parts of the county, there are still folk paper mills and sites produced by Cai Lun's papermaking method, as well as Longxu grass paper and bamboo paper workshops and sites. Almost every one of these workshops and sites has vivid legends. Because Longting was not only the experimental site of Cai Lun's papermaking, but also his fiefdom and burial ground, it promoted the derivation of the legend. Longting's cultural and geographical environment, papermaking relics and related local customs became the driving force of Cai Lun's papermaking legend, and also enhanced the credibility of the legend.

The legend of Cai Lun papermaking took place in Longting and its surrounding areas in Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province, and then gradually radiated to the surrounding areas with Longting as the center. According to preliminary investigation, there are dozens of legends about Cai Lun's papermaking in Longting, which can be divided into overcoming technical difficulties, looking for papermaking raw materials, promoting papermaking, managing papermaking and papermaking trade. Most of the plots record the technical links of "frustration, pounding, frying and baking". Because of the inherent invention and creation spirit and literary and artistic charm of legend, it attracts people and is passed on from generation to generation. These legends of Cai Lun's papermaking spread in Longting area confirm the origin of papermaking, one of the four great inventions in ancient China, which is of great significance.