China · Paper Making

Naxi Dongba Paper Making (Dongba Zhi)

纳西东巴纸 (Nàxī Dōngbā Zhǐ)

Naxi Dongba paper (东巴纸) is the ritual paper made by the Naxi people (纳西族 Nàxīzú) of Lijiang, Yunnan, specifically for the Dongba religious manuscripts — the pictographic scripture tradition of Naxi shamanism, inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. The paper is made from the bark of the Stellera chamaejasme plant (瑞香狼毒 — a toxic shrub that naturally repels insects, giving Dongba manuscripts extraordinary longevity). The papermaking process is a variant of traditional Chinese sheet-forming technique, but uses bark fiber rather than mulberry or hemp, and the toxic plant material requires handling protocols known to Dongba papermakers. The paper's insect-repellent property means Dongba manuscripts have survived 700+ years without deterioration.

Risk level: Critically Endangered · Linked to Naxi Dongba manuscripts — UNESCO Memory of the World (2003); papermaking tradition on China National ICH List

Alternate Names
Dongba paper; Lijiang paper; Naxi ritual paper
Geographic Center
Lijiang, Yunnan Province; specifically Baisha Village and Shuhe Ancient Town
Community / Ethnic Group
Naxi ethnic minority (纳西族 Nàxīzú)
Estimated Origin
Song–Yuan Dynasty transition (13th century CE) — linked to development of Dongba scripture tradition
Cultural Function
Substrate for Dongba pictographic religious manuscripts; ritual ceremonial object in its own right; contemporary cultural documentation object
Primary Materials
Bark of Stellera chamaejasme (瑞香狼毒 ruì xiāng láng dú) — a toxic, insect-repellent mountain shrub
Primary Tools
Stone mallet (for fiber beating); wooden mold and deckle (for sheet forming); drying board
Process Overview
Bark harvesting (spring) → outer bark stripping → lye cooking to soften lignin → rinsing → fiber beating with stone mallet → pulp dilution in vat → sheet formation with mold and deckle → couching onto drying board → pressing and drying → sizing with rice water → drying to final sheet
Traditional Applications
Substrate for Dongba religious manuscripts and ritual objects
Contemporary Applications
Cultural heritage paper; artist paper; collector object; Dongba culture documentation
Notable Practitioners
He Wanbao (和万宝) — Baisha Village, one of fewer than 5 full-process Dongba papermakers; Dongba Culture Research Institute, Lijiang (institutional knowledge holder)
Key References
Mueggler, E. (2011). The Paper Road: Archive and Experience in the Botanical Exploration of West China. University of California Press; UNESCO Memory of the World nomination — Naxi Dongba manuscripts (2003); Yunnan Provincial ICH documentation files
Verification Status
Verified

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