First, traditional Chinese painting does not have to be painted on rice paper and silk. The emergence and initial use of rice paper occurred around the Ming Dynasty.
In the past, Chinese paintings were painted on cooked paper (non-smeared), mainly fine brushwork and small freehand brushwork, and there were many types of paper.
The peak of Chinese painting was in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, and the popularity of freehand brushwork appeared in the Qing Dynasty.
Second, the reason why rice paper and silk have such a high status in China today has certain political reasons (just like the reason why Moutai is famous, a very important reason is because Premier Zhou likes it). Of course, the quality of the rice paper itself is also very good, while other papers used for calligraphy and painting are not very up to par to some extent.
Third, the advantage of rice paper and silk lies in its excellent and unique ink moistening and blurring effects, which can better reflect and maintain various ink colors and shades, so it is very suitable for freehand brushwork. Chinese painting. The popularity of rice paper also has a very important relationship with the painting style of the times.
Fourth, the so-and-so Xuan paper that can be seen on the market today is actually not rice paper, but just ordinary calligraphy and painting paper. Rice paper has become synonymous with calligraphy and painting paper, and there are not many rice papers in the strict sense. Even rice paper is probably different from the ancient materials and techniques. Many people complain that good paper is hard to buy.