Tengchong Xuan Paper

Tengchong Xuan Paper

　　As early as the Qing Dynasty, the people of Tengchong produced "Guanyin Pond White Paper" (later also known as "Yu Xuan") using locally abundant mulberry bark and cactus, which was highly favored by the calligraphy and painting community. The master artist Xu Beihong once used this paper for his brushwork and praised it not only for possessing all the virtues of “authentic” Xuan paper, but also for one major advantage: after painting on it, others could not secretly peel off the artwork. By the late 1970s, this traditional product was officially named “Teng Xuan”. (Baoshan)

　　Among the four treasures of the study—brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—each has its own standards. But the Teng Xuan paper produced in far-off western Yunnan’s Tengchong is the stuff of legend. Its texture, color, and water absorption all make it an outstanding choice for calligraphy and painting, earning high praise from the art community. In late 1941, when Master Xu Beihong returned to China via Tengchong on his way back from Southeast Asia, he specifically purchased three loads of Teng Xuan to take home. He once complimented a painter, saying that Teng Xuan not only possessed all the strengths of “Number One Xuan” (Xuanzhou paper), but also had a benefit that “Number One Xuan” did not: after painting on it, others could not secretly peel off the artwork. Therefore, he believed that Teng Xuan was an excellent choice for painting.