Origin and success
In BC 1 century, China was established in Le Lang County, and paper was introduced into Korea from China. Then it was made in the subsequent Three Kingdoms period. By the 7th century and the early days of Silla's reunification, Koreans had mastered the art of making extremely high quality paper. Ink made in Korea was exported to China in the Tang Dynasty (AD 6 18-906), and the reputation of Korean paper became higher and higher, so that it was also exported to China in the Korean Koryo era (AD 9 18- 1392). The Mongolian Yuan Dynasty (13-14th century) was also particularly keen on printing their Buddhist scriptures. As they did in Celadon, Koreans have surpassed their mentor.
The best Korean paper is made from the pulp of mulberry.
Manufacture and use
At first, Korean paper was made of hemp fiber, but for hundreds of years, the highest quality Korean paper was only mulberry pulp (tak in Korean and Broussonetia papyrifera in Latin). The toughness of Korean paper means that it is very suitable for printing machines. The wood blocks used in these printing machines are made of magnolia wood soaked and boiled in salt water, and then dried for several years before use. Each square is 24 x 4 x 64 cm, with 23 lines of vertical text on each side. Then cover them with ink and paper and press them on them. Since the12nd century, when heavy movable metal is used for printing, the elasticity of Korean paper is particularly useful in bronze movable type invented by North Korea.
During the Korean era (15th century), Emperor Sejong (14 18- 1450) allowed other plant materials, especially bamboo, to be used in his manufacturing. This document was produced in professional workshops in the capital and five provincial capitals. Korean paper produced for national use is supervised by * * * institutions all over the city.
Of course, paper is used for writing. Calligraphy is one of the six arts that all Korean scholars must complete. Scrolls are made, or folded pages are sewn together to make books. Some of the best luminous texts, usually Buddhist scriptures or sermons, are made of Korean paper dyed light yellow or dark indigo and decorated with gold and silver.
Another important use of paper is for interior walls, doors and sometimes windows of traditional Korean houses (Han Tai). This paper is transparent enough to let soft light into the room, but it also helps to keep the room cool in summer and warm in winter. In the typical features of Korean architecture, it is called a warm kang, a traditional floor heating system, which covers the stones on the floor with paper.
Handheld paper fans were widely used by men and women in ancient Korea. The earliest fans were made of leaves, as shown by some names of more than 70 known types that are still in use later (such as "banana leaves" and "lotus leaves"). They can be roughly divided into two types: single-handle spatula or folded and placed on separate bamboo racks. Both men and women use them at home, but only men can use folding in public, usually dark. The shape, color and decoration of a fan can even indicate a person's social status or determine its use. For example, folding fans are usually for aristocratic families. At the wedding, the bride uses a red fan, the groom uses a blue fan and the undertaker always uses a white fan. Fans can be decorated with calligraphy, or they can draw scenes. The latter is more respected when the paper is folded and placed on the frame.
Other items made of paper include banknotes, paintings, movable screens (made of 2 to 12 wooden frame panels), lampshades, small boxes, artificial flowers, furniture (twisted paper strands, woven and then colored), conical rain caps (waterproof with oil paper) and umbrellas. All these objects can be decorated with calligraphy, painting, embroidery and lacquerware. In a culture where flying kites is a serious sport for young people and adults, kites are also made of paper stretched on bamboo frames. Finally, even the armor is made of laminated paper. With these uses, it is not surprising that paper has become the main tribute since 10 century.