The Development of Crepe paper
Created on 2025.12.16
The Qing Dynasty marked the golden age of ribbed paper development, with its craftsmanship, variety, and applications reaching their zenith.
- Technological Innovation: During the reigns of Kangxi and Yongzheng, master craftsman Wang Chengzhi of Hangzhou pioneered the “broad-screen textured paper” using copper wire screens, while bamboo screens produced the “narrow-screen textured paper.” Both techniques coexisted, with copper-screen products—renowned for their distinctive grain and superior quality—becoming widely imitated.
- Imperial Applications: Textured paper became the preferred medium for imperial printing and calligraphic/painting creations. In the 56th year of Kangxi's reign, the imperial workshop used 14,000 sheets of textured paper for printing. During the Yongzheng era, works like the Wuyingdian edition of “Lü Lü Zheng Yi” and Xi Qiyu's engraved “Tang Bai Jia Shi” were printed on plain white textured paper. By the Qianlong period, textured paper was designated as tribute goods; the Grand Commissioner of the Grand Canal Transport, Debao, presented natural-colored textured paper and other paper products as tribute.
- Diverse Varieties: Specialized types like gold-sprinkled gauze paper emerged. By applying fine gold foil over gauze paper, it achieved a pale yellow hue, dense texture, and water resistance, becoming premium paper for imperial and aristocratic use. Other classifications included “red-veined gauze paper” and “white-veined gauze paper,” though some production techniques have since been lost.
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