Museum of Handmade Paper

Museum of Handmade Paper

The Museum of Handmade Paper is the first of its kind in China and one of the top ten specialized museums nationwide. Located beside Yuquan in the Qianfoyan Scenic Area, it faces the Qingyi River in front and leans against Qianfo Mountain at the back, blending uniquely with the mountain and water landscape. Covering an area of 12,000 square meters with a built-up area of 2,058 square meters.

The museum houses over 2,300 cultural relics and physical specimens. Among the most valuable are 86 brands and more than 130 varieties of handmade paper produced since the Ming Dynasty, as well as the “Dafengtang-made” calligraphy and painting paper developed, improved, and supervised by Zhang Daqian in Jiajiang during the 1930s. Ancient woodblock contracts are also highly precious. The Papermaking Museum is divided into four exhibition halls: “Glory Through the Ages” showcases the historical evolution of handmade paper; “Model for Future Generations” displays tools and raw materials used in Jiajiang’s handmade paper production to illustrate the traditional craftsmanship process; “Ancient Trails and Lingering Styles” exhibits various types of paper, paper products, historical documents, as well as calligraphy and paintings, books, and newspapers made using Jiajiang paper; and the “Cai Lun Memorial Hall” features a seated statue of Cai Lun and displays stone inscriptions reflecting Jiajiang’s handmade papermaking tradition. It also exhibits hundreds of varieties of famous papers from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, as well as dozens of artworks on Jiajiang paper created by renowned Chinese painters.

To give visitors a more authentic understanding of the mysterious and fascinating techniques behind Jiajiang handmade paper production, the museum has set up a hands-on papermaking workshop. It collects and displays primitive papermaking tools, allowing visitors to personally participate in the paper-making process and experience the joy of this remarkable craft.

The Jiajiang Museum of Handmade Paper combines history, knowledge, and entertainment. With its rich content and distinctive ethnic characteristics, it stands among the nine uniquely Chinese specialized museums. It serves as an important base for historical education, national conditions education, and patriotic education.