A piece of four-foot rice paper is also called four-foot whole paper. Its length is: 138 cm (about 4 feet), width: 68 cm (about 2 feet), and the calculated area is about: 4 feet × 2 feet = 8 square feet.
On the sale of Chinese calligraphy and painting rulers, large, medium and small, the "foot" mentioned here refers to square feet, and one foot is equal to 33.3 centimeters. Why not call it a square foot but a "foot"? This is related to the specifications of rice paper. The specifications of rice paper include three feet, four feet, five feet, six feet, eight feet, two feet, etc. For example: the specifications of four-foot paper are four feet long and two feet wide, with an area of ??eight square feet. Cutting four-foot paper in half is called a square, which is four square feet.
The size of four-foot rice paper is 138×69 (length×width) (unit: CM). Four feet wide open: 138×69 (standard four feet). Four-foot horizontal batch: 138×69 (standard four-foot). Four-foot single strip (vertical scroll): 138×34 (standard four-foot rice paper length remains unchanged, width 1/2). Four-foot couplets: 138×34 (the length of standard four-foot rice paper remains unchanged, and the width is 1/2). Four-foot square: 69×68 (standard four-foot rice paper length is 1/2, width remains the same).
Four-foot three-part: 69×46 (standard four-foot rice paper length is 1/3, width remains the same). Four-foot six-foot-long rice paper: 46×34 (standard four-foot rice paper length is 1/3, width is 1/2). Four feet square: 69×34 (standard four feet rice paper length 1/2, width 1/2). Four-foot-eight rice paper: 35×34 (standard four-foot rice paper has a length of 1/4 and a width of 1/2).
The origin of rice paper:
It is named after it was originally produced in Xuanzhou Prefecture (now Xuancheng, Anhui), and is now mainly produced in Jing County, Anhui. It is paper used for writing and painting in ancient China. Rice paper originated in the Tang Dynasty and has been used throughout the generations. The origin of rice paper is Jingxian County, Anhui Province. In addition, Xuancheng and Taiping places near Jingxian County also produce this kind of paper. By the Song Dynasty, the papermaking industry in Huizhou, Chizhou, Xuanzhou and other places gradually moved and concentrated in Jing County. At that time, these areas were under the jurisdiction of Xuanzhou Prefecture, so the paper produced here was called "Xuan paper", and some people also called it Jingxian paper.
Because rice paper is easy to preserve, is not brittle and does not fade over time, it is known as "paper has a thousand-year lifespan". During the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty, among the tribute items transported to Chang'an, the capital, from all over the country, Xuancheng County's ships included "paper, pens" and other tributes, which shows that Xuancheng County had already produced paper and pens at that time. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the Cao family migrated to Xiaoling, Jingxian County, Anhui Province, and began the process of comprehensively and systematically making "rice paper" using green sandalwood bark as raw material.
Chinese rice paper, as a special paper tool material used in traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting, is gradually getting rid of silk, silk, cotton and other handmade papers with the continuous changes and innovations in the artistic style of Chinese calligraphy and painting. The special calligraphy and painting paper selected is most suitable for expressing the artistic style and expression techniques of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting. This is a long process of absorption and gradual adaptation. It is also in the process of creation and comparison with various calligraphy and painting materials. It is recognized by history only after it has the special function of ink moisturizing and handed down performance.