Phoebe bark

Phoebe bark

　　The three mountain valleys of Zhong, Miao, and Qian in Jinlang, Zhongming Town, Tongling County, are widely known as the hometown of phoebe bark.

　　 Phoebe bark is an essential raw material for making Xuan paper. With the rising price of Xuan paper, farmers have become highly motivated to cultivate phoebe trees, making it an important source of income for locals in the Jinlang area.

　　 The harvest season for phoebe bark runs from December to March each year. Farmers first cut the branches of the phoebe tree and stack them in the phoebe bark kiln to be smoked for five to six hours before peeling off the bark. The length of the branches, the way they are stacked, and the smoking process all require great precision, as these factors significantly affect the yield and quality of the phoebe bark. As a result, some experienced phoebe bark processors are very busy during this time of year. But now that phoebe bark can be sold at a good price, everyone remains quite happy.