Kkokduseoni

Language:

Korean

Local scripture:

꼭두서니

Botanical classification

Rubia cordifolia L.

Order:

Gentianales

Family:

Rubiaceae

Synonyms:

Rubia cordifolia subsp. pratensis (Maxim.) Kitam.

Rubia cordifolia var. coriacea Z.Ying Zhang

Rubia cordifolia var. munjista (Roxb.) Miq.

Rubia cordifolia var. pratensis Maxim.

Rubia cordifolia var. rotundifolia Franch.

Rubia manjith Roxb. ex Flem.

Rubia mitis Miq.

Rubia munjista Roxb

Rubia pratensis (Maxim.) Nakai

Rubia scandens Zoll. & Moritzi

Plant growing area

Grows everywhere in Asia and Himalaya until 2700m altitude. Common in forest edges and undergrowth.

Buthan, China, India, Indonesia (Java), Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu), Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rubia cordifolia is a rhizomatous perennial vine that can reach 1m. The flowers are small and have a cream color, they are arranged in clusters at the base of the leaves. Flowering occurs between July and September depending on the region. The fruits are small black berries. The roots are fleshy creeping rhizomes. It is botanically very close to Rubia tinctorium.

The plant has been extensively cultivated since the antiquity for the production of red color used to dye and print cloth. Until the mid nineteenth century and the advent of synthetic dyes, it represented an important economic resource as well in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Rubia cordifolia has antibacterial properties.

The main component of most madders is an anthraquinone, alizarin, which is found in the rhizome. It is present only in small amounts in this species. The main dyes are in order of the percentage munjistin, pseudopurpurin, purpurin which are all anthraquinones.

The color is mainly used for dyeing textiles (red or rose madder) and as a pigment in paint (madder lake).

Japan:

The plant is native to Japan. Its use in textiles dates back to the 4th century. The dye is used in dyeing fabrics and also for prints.

The advent of synthetic alizarin has significantly reduced demand for natural dye.

Other Rubia grown in Japan for their dye are: Rubia tinctorum L., Rubia argyi (H. Léveillé & Vaniot) H. Hara ex Lauener & DK Ferguson better known as Rubia akane Nakai.

Preparation process for making paper

Madder is propagated by planting seed or root division. The plants are harvested in its third year because the concentration of dye is greater. The harvest takes place at the end of autumn.
The roots are sorted, scrubbed, dried and crushed into powder. The powder is stored in barrels to age before being sold to the dyers.

Madder contains two colorants: one is red and the second is dark yellowish and soluble in water. To separate them, it is necessary to dissolve the madder powder in water and make it decant. The yellow supernatant water is removed and the operation is repeated until the water runs clear.
Then madder is boiled for several hours and then filtered through a cloth. It is kept liquid.

Another method is to get what is called "madder flower". The roots powder is treated with acidulated water and then rinsed to remove the yellow dyes, mucilages and minerals. The resulting powder has a better dyeing power.

The mordant is generally alum. The use of iron as mordant gives a violet color.

Japan:

The plant is torn when it is 18 to 30 months, at the end of summer when the stems begin to fade. The roots are dried either in the open air or in an oven for several days. They are then crushed into powder. They can be stored in this form before being used for dyeing.

Immediate use: the root is cut into pieces and placed in water to soak. The extract is filtered. Then fresh water is added and the operation is repeated for several extracts which will be mixed together. The second extract which tends to be orange is sometimes discarded.

Alum must be used as mordant to set the color to the fibers.

Dyeing is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome ou tsukezome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by the small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Korea:

The papers are dyed in three ways: dyeing of the pulp (Seonyeombeop), dyeing of the sheet by dipping, brushing and spraying (Huyeombeop ), combination of the both methods (Honyeombeop). Then the paper can be hammered.

Vernacular names

Chinese

Qian cao	茜草

Japanese

Kurumaba akane	クルマバアカネ

Korean

Kkokduseoni	꼭두서니

French

Garance de l'Inde
Garance en coeur

English

Indian Madder
Munjeet

Paper names

In Asia and particularly in China, Korea and Japan, the papers are intended for a wide range of use: Papers for calligraphy and art, Papers for ceremonies, Paper as a medium of exchange, money paper, Papers for making clothes, wall hangings and bedding, Papers for architecture, interior design, Papers for crafts of various kinds, for domestic purposes and leisure.

The names assigned to the paper refers to different notions: The material used, The place of production, The method of production, Appearance, Dimensions, Use, The name of an artist or a studio etc.

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

In Korea papers made with paper mulberry bark are the most numerous.

Papers

Korea

Dahongsangpumdoryeonji
Hongdangji
Hongjeojuji
Hongpaeji
Maehongji

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

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Kkokduseoni

Rubia cordifolia L.

Papers