Collectors give calligraphy paper 'stamp' of approval
- Source: Global Times
- [13:22 May 26 2010]
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Photo: Xi Hua
By Yin Yeping
A new set of stamps featuring calligraphy masterpieces from four of China's most famous masters, such as Lan Tingxu (303-361AD), has caused a stir among local philatelists, yet the real excitement is not some much the content as the form. For the first time, the stamps are being printed on Xuan Zhi, Xuan paper, a traditional Chinese material that has been used for calligraphy for over 1,000 years.
Use of the paper dates back to the Tang Dynasty and was made from the fibrous bark of the deciduous Asian Pteroceltis tatarinowii Maxim tree. Its reputation for ageing well, without fading, gave it the nickname "thousand year paper." Indeed, it looks set to be a worthy thousand-year investment as, just days after going on sale on May 15, prices for the stamps have risen from 7 ($1) to 22 yuan ($3.2) per set of six.
"The stamp is the first of its kind to better reflect the idea of calligraphy," said Cai Yang, director of China Philatelic News and stamp collector. "Before the calligraphy paper, stamps have also been made from silk, gold or silver foils, and tree skins." Yet the main difference is the use of an adhesive gum on the back, one of the few innovation to this form of paper in a millennium. Cai noted that such innovations are necessary while stamps now occupy a more rarified position than being simply payment for communications. In the age of the internet and mobile phone, their function as a collector's item will continue to be at the forefront of their success.
