When diplomats from 11 countries stepped into Xuancheng, Anhui, they witnessed the birth of a sheet of paper that has travelled over a thousand years to reach them.
Latvian Ambassador Karlis Eihenbaums stood by the vat, puzzled: why don't the fresh sheets stick together? The craftsman told him it was a special compound. "That answer didn't convince me," the ambassador said with a smile.
Botswana Ambassador Lekoko S. Kenosi watched the entire process and said: "You cannot be surprised that China was already so advanced back then. That gene of innovation has carried through to today."
At the papermaking workshop, Guinea's Chargée d'Affaires Touré Aminata picked up a brush and wrote in French:
"La Chine est l'amie de la Guinée. J'aime la Chine."
China is Guinea's friend. I love China.
In 2009, UNESCO inscribed Xuan paper-making on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Today, this paper reaches over 100 countries and regions, generating more than 3 billion yuan annually for this small city.
In Xuancheng, they saw the complete Four Treasures of the Study — ink, inkstone, brush, and paper. A sheet of paper is just one part of it, but it carries the most.
For over a thousand years, this paper has held the words of a civilization. Today, a new line has been added.
当11个国家的驻华外交官走进安徽宣城，他们目睹了一张宣纸的诞生。
拉脱维亚驻华大使卡尔利斯·埃亨包姆斯站在水槽边，困惑不已：刚刚捞出的纸页层层叠放，为什么不会粘在一起?匠人告诉他是因为一种特殊配方。“这个答案没能说服我，”大使笑着说。
博茨瓦纳驻华大使莱科科·凯诺西看完了整个制作过程，感慨道：“你不能不惊讶于中国在那个时候就已经如此先进。这种创新的基因一直延续到了今天。”
在造纸工坊的体验区，几内亚临时代办杜尔·阿密娜塔拿起一支毛笔，用法语写下：
“La Chine est l'amie de la Guinée. J'aime la Chine.”
中国是几内亚的朋友。我爱中国。
2009年，联合国教科文组织将宣纸传统制作技艺列入《人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录》。如今，这张纸已销往全球上百个国家和地区，每年为这座小城带来超过30亿元的营收。
在宣城，他们看到的远不止一张纸——墨、砚、笔、纸，文房四宝在这里一应俱全。一张纸只是其中的一部分，但它承载的分量最重。
一千多年来，这张纸承载着一个文明的文字。如今，新的一行字又被添了上去。
文图视频：黄洋洋 李小凡
热线电话：0551-62620110
举报电话：0551-64376913
举报邮箱：3598612204@qq.com
