Phellodendron du Sichuan

Language:

French

Phellodendron amurense Rupr. © Plantillustrations

Phellodendron amurense Rupr. © C. Laroque

Botanical classification

Phellodendron amurense Rupr.

Order:

Sapindales

Family:

Rutaceae

Plant growing area

China (Anhui, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shandong, Shanxi), Japan (Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku), Korea, Russia (Far East, Siberia, Sakhalin Island), Taiwan.

It grows in mountain, in river valleys, in forests and in thickets.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea .

Plant cultivation and use

Phellodendron amurense is a tree which can reach 10 to 15m high, with large branches, which bark of light gray color has the consistency of cork. As it is hardy, it can adapt to various soil types. Flowers are yellow-green and small. Flowering occurs in May-June. The fruits grow in clusters and have a strong odor when crushed. Fruits yield an oil which insecticidal properties are similar to those of pyrethrum.

Phellodendron amurense is widely cultivated especially in China, for its medicinal (infection treatment) and dyeing properties conferred by the alkaloids it contains.

The dye alkaloids are mainly berberine, but also menispérine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine, candicine, magnoflorine.

The dye obtained from the bark has been widely used in Asia. The color varies from pale yellow to brown depending on the concentration. It is very sensitive to light and fades into an orange brown.

China:

Phellodendron amurense is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. Bark is the main part of the plant used medicinally but oil from the fruit is also used.

The method giving the appearance of old paper is called juan huang. This tradition of dyeing papers to give them the appearance of aged papers began in the 2nd or 3rd century, especially for books. This is a practice that seems designed to protect the books of insect damage and at the same time to give the paper a glossy surface. Dyeing was carried out before or after writing. Many Dunhuang manuscripts were treated in this way.

A decree in 675 (Tang Dynasty) mandates the use of yellow paper for official documents to protect them from insects. This practice will continue during the Song dynasty (960-1127). For the same reason the yellow papers are often used for writing sutras. An alternative to protect books from damage caused by insects was the use of litharge that gave to paper an orange color.

Paper dyeing is described in several books: « Qimin yaoshu » or «Main techniques for the welfare of the people” by Jia Sixie, (middle of 6^th century); « Zunsheng bajian » or «Eight orders to follow the meaning of life » by Gao Lian (1591); « Wuli xiaoshi » or « Some Knowledge of Physics » by Fang Yishi (1643).

It is specified in the "Qimin Yaoshu" that yellow papers are often embellished by waxing that gives a smooth and hard surface.

Japan:

This is the most important yellow dye for dyeing fabrics since the 7th century. It is also used for prints.

This is the most common yellow dye used to dye paper for copying sutras. This prevalence is due to its dying and insect repellent properties. After dyeing the paper was polished.

These papers were often used for writing poems and love letters but also for official documents.

The dye is often mixed with indigo to obtain green colors.

Usually the pulp is dyed in the tank before making the sheet.

Korea:

Because of their repellent properties, papers dyed with Phellodendron were widely used for bookbinding boards and to receive sutras texts or official writings (such as birth certificates).

They were also commonly used in the manufacture of embossed papers (neunghwaji).

Preparation process for making paper

China:

The outer bark of Phellodendron is removed and the inner part is chopped into pieces and placed in a bag, soaked in water and boiled; then the filtrate, a bitter yellow liquid, is collected by pressing the bark.
The residues are crushed and boiled again, three times and the filtrates of the three baths are mixed. This allows for a bigger quantity of liquid and a less saturated color. This liquid is called Huang po.
The paper to be dyed must be unsized to let dye penetrates better. The paper after dyeing has a glossy appearance.

An alternative is to immerse the paper simultaneously in the Phellodendron decoction and in decoctions of oak cups (Quercus acutissima or Quercus serrata) and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) to get more yellow shades.

Japan:

Wood is cut in small pieces and boiled. The extract is filtered before dyeing. It is not necessary to use mordant.

Dyeing of paper is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome 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 inner part of bark, or wood are cut in small pieces and boiled. The extract is filtered before dyeing.

Papers dyed with Phellodendron amurense are fixed by etching with tannins extracted from the bark of chestnut or oak acorns.

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

Huang bo	黄檗

Japanese

Kihada	きはだ
Huangbai	黄柏

Korean

Hwangbyeok	황벽

French

Phellodendron du Sichuan

French

Arbre à liège

English

Yellow cork tree
Amur cork tree

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.

China:

Suffixes zhi or chih = paper.

In China, unlike Korea and Japan, papers made with paper mulberry fibers are not prominent, the production of paper from bamboo fiber being the most important.

Japan:

Suffixes kami, gami, shi = paper.
In Japan kozo papers are the most numerous.

Korea:

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

Papers

Korea

Neunghwaji
Hwangmaji
Hwangji		Hwanggoji
Hwanggukji

Japan

Kigami	黄紙

China

Huangma zhi

Used part of the plant:

Bark

Wood

Use for paper making:

Dye

Insecticide

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Phellodendron amurense Rupr.

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