Workers make 'Si Zhang Xuan' paper at workshop in Anhui

Workers make "Si Zhang Xuan" paper at a workshop in Jingxian County, Xuancheng City of east China's Anhui Province, April 22, 2021. Jingxian, a county under Xuancheng City in east China's Anhui Province, is the very place where Xuan paper, an ideal material in Chinese calligraphy and painting because of its smooth surface and ability to absorb water and moisten ink, was invented. At a workshop of Xuan paper, over 50 workers gather around a gigantic tank for the paper molding process. Led by their headman, workers dip a huge wooden mold into the tank to collect paper pulp. Repeating this for several times, they let the paper pulp condense evenly on the mold. When the pulp-collection is finished, the mold is put aside awaiting further processes. The condensed paper pulp will then go through drying, cutting and other steps till the final product is ready. Measuring 13.2 meters in length and 3.6 meters in width, this huge piece of Xuan paper known as the "Si Zhang Xuan" mainly serves artistic purposes. (Xinhua/Han Xu)