Myanmar · Paper Craft / Book Arts
ပုရပိုက် (Parabaik)
The Burmese parabaik (ပုရပိုက်) is the traditional accordion-fold manuscript book of Myanmar — a long strip of Shan sa paper (CRAFT-0444) or lacquered cloth folded into pages and painted with Buddhist manuscript text (in traditional Burmese script), astrological charts, Jataka illustrations, or secular records. The parabaik-making tradition encompasses two distinct craft disciplines: the paper preparation and binding (constructing the accordion fold structure with correct fold tension and page size), and the painted or lacquered decoration (applying gold and color to the opened pages). The binding technique — folding the paper strip to precise page width while maintaining consistent fold tension throughout all 50–200 pages — is the critical structural knowledge. Inconsistent fold tension causes the accordion structure to open unevenly and pages to warp over time.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Myanmar national ICH list (Buddhist manuscript culture)
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