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Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn. © Flora of China

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn. © Asianflora

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn. © T. Taylor

Identification

Fibre type	Bast fibre
Average fibre length	2-4mm
Average fibre width	4-20µm
Fibre ends	Variable.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases	Faint.
Associated cells	Rectangular.
Special features	Broad central portions of fibers.
Herzberg staining	Yellow/ Bleuish Green.
Graff 'C' staining	Blue Green.

Botanical classification

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Thymelaeaceae

Synonyms:

Daphne inamoema Gardner

Diplomorpha canescens (Wall. ex Meisn.) C. A. Mey.

Passerina chamaedaphne Bunge

Wikstroemia inamoena (Gardner)Meisn.

Wikstroemia virgata Wall. Ex Meisn.

Plant growing area

Afghanistan, Bangladesh (Khasia monts), China (Xizang, Yunnan), India (Upper Assam), Japan (Honshu-West of Kanto region), Shikoku, Kyushu), Nepal, West Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Grows on shrubby slopes, among rocks; 1000-2800 until 3500 m.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Nepal, Pakistan.

China:

Yunnan (Lijiang, Diqing - Shangri-La county, Sanbei, Lincang), Xizang/Tibet (Zhongdian-Sanba).

Plant cultivation and use

Wikstroemia canescens is a shrub of the Thymelaceae family, family, which includes nearly 500 species in 44 genera. There is a great confusion among the various Wikstroemias, Stelleras, Edgeworthias and especially Daphnes, because their morphologies are very similar.

Thymelaceaes are base plants for paper making in the Himalaya areas. The plants are valued for the large amount of hemicelluloses contained in the bark. They are also very much used in Chinese medicine.

Wikstroemia canescens is a deciduous shrub 1.5 to 2 m tall, aromatic with yellow flowers; blooming takes place from June to September.

The bark produces fibers for making rope in Pakistan and is also used in paper making in China and Pakistan. The plant is also used medically for its antitussive properties.

China:

There are 14 wikstroemia species in Yunnan among which 6 are located in the northwest (W. delavayi, W. leptophylla, W. canescens, W. lichiangensis, W. scytophylla, W. lamatsoensis).

Only Wikstroemia delavayi, W. leptophylla, W. canescens, W. lichiangensis, W. scytophylla, W. lamatsoensis are used by Naxi to make Dongba paper.

The paper is also called "Baidi" from the name of the village (Baishuitai or "white water Terraces" Shangri-La) which is native Dongba culture area.

The tradition traces the production of paper by the Naxi in the Yuan Dynasty (1280 - 1368) but the first Dongba texts date back to 1668.

Preparation process for making paper

China:

Harvesting takes places from March to May before the rainy season but when it is wet so that peeling the bark is easier. The cut is held every two or three years for the same shrub. Only the branches are cut off at maturity. The bark is then pulled and tied in bundles to dry in the sun on a rack for 3 to 5 days. So it can wait until the time it will be used.

The bark is soaked in a tank for 3 to 5 days. It is then kneaded for 1 hour in order to separate the black bark. The dark bark is eliminated as well as xylem (dead cells) in order to retain only the phloem. The bark is finally rinsed with water.

Cooking is done in pine wood ashes lye (Pinus yunnanensis) for 3 to 4 hours. Then the fibers are rinsed with water.

The fibers are crushed in a wooden mortar with a pestle; then the resulting paste is hammered on a wooden stump.

The paste is mixed in the form of balls corresponding to the desired size of the sheet.
The ball is placed in a vat to be diluted and then the pulp is poured in a paper mould.

The paper mould is a high-sided mould which bottom is made by a rigid and removable bamboo mat.
The sheet is removed from the mould by removing the bottom and then is immediately applied to a drying board.

The paper surface is polished with a stone or a cloth when the sheet is half dry.

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.

Used part of the plant:

Bark

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Chinese

Local scripture:

紫草

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc. © Flora of China

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc. © CFH Nature Museum

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

This is one of the oldest dyeing plant of China. Its use is mentioned in the "Qimin Yaoshu" or " “Important skills of the Common People” by Jia Sixie,agriculture treatise in ten volumes dating from the 6th century.

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

The plant has been cultivated since the Nara period (710-794) for its dyeing and also medicinal properties. The use of the dye during this period is reserved to members of the royal family and court officials. These restrictions persist during the Heian period (794-1185), with a sumptuary law that restricts its use for dyeing clothes of the Empress and her attendants.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The dye requires a laborious process of repeatedly kneading the roots in warm water to release the dye color. The roots are crushed put in hot water and mixed with rice vinegar. Temperature should not exceed 60° C.

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Dyeing of papers 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.

In the present case, the pulp is generally dyed in the tank before making the sheet. The pulp which is ready for use is squeezed to remove water and then is placed in the dye bath and brewed. Then it is removed from the bath, rinsed and squeezed before being placed in the mordant bath, rinsed before being placed in the dye bath again. These successive baths allow for a deeper color.

Korea:

Root cut into small pieces is heated in hot water several times. To release the dye color the roots require a laborious process of repeatedly kneading them in warm water. The color will vary depending on the mordant used.

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.

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

Chinese

Local scripture:

荛花

Synonym:

Rao hua

Identification

Fibre type	Bast fibre
Average fibre length	2-4mm
Average fibre width	4-20µm
Fibre ends	Variable.
Striations, cross-markings, flexion creases	Faint.
Associated cells	Rectangular.
Special features	Broad central portions of fibers.
Herzberg staining	Yellow/ Bleuish Green.
Graff 'C' staining	Blue Green.

Botanical classification

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn.

Order:

Malvales

Family:

Thymelaeaceae

Synonyms:

Daphne inamoema Gardner

Diplomorpha canescens (Wall. ex Meisn.) C. A. Mey.

Passerina chamaedaphne Bunge

Wikstroemia inamoena (Gardner)Meisn.

Wikstroemia virgata Wall. Ex Meisn.

Plant growing area

Grows on shrubby slopes, among rocks; 1000-2800 until 3500 m.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Nepal, Pakistan.

China:

Yunnan (Lijiang, Diqing - Shangri-La county, Sanbei, Lincang), Xizang/Tibet (Zhongdian-Sanba).

Plant cultivation and use

Wikstroemia canescens is a deciduous shrub 1.5 to 2 m tall, aromatic with yellow flowers; blooming takes place from June to September.

The bark produces fibers for making rope in Pakistan and is also used in paper making in China and Pakistan. The plant is also used medically for its antitussive properties.

China:

There are 14 wikstroemia species in Yunnan among which 6 are located in the northwest (W. delavayi, W. leptophylla, W. canescens, W. lichiangensis, W. scytophylla, W. lamatsoensis).

Only Wikstroemia delavayi, W. leptophylla, W. canescens, W. lichiangensis, W. scytophylla, W. lamatsoensis are used by Naxi to make Dongba paper.

The paper is also called "Baidi" from the name of the village (Baishuitai or "white water Terraces" Shangri-La) which is native Dongba culture area.

The tradition traces the production of paper by the Naxi in the Yuan Dynasty (1280 - 1368) but the first Dongba texts date back to 1668.

Preparation process for making paper

China:

Cooking is done in pine wood ashes lye (Pinus yunnanensis) for 3 to 4 hours. Then the fibers are rinsed with water.

The fibers are crushed in a wooden mortar with a pestle; then the resulting paste is hammered on a wooden stump.

The paste is mixed in the form of balls corresponding to the desired size of the sheet.
The ball is placed in a vat to be diluted and then the pulp is poured in a paper mould.

The paper surface is polished with a stone or a cloth when the sheet is half dry.

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Bark

Use for paper making:

Fiber

Language:

Japanese

Local scripture:

紫草

Synonym:

むらさき

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Korea:

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

Korean

Local scripture:

지치

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Korea:

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

French

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Korea:

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

English

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Korea:

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

English

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Korea:

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

English

Botanical classification

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Boraginaceae

Synonyms:

Lithospermum officinale L. var. erythrorhizon (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim.

Plant growing area

China (South East Gansu, North Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan), Japan, Korea, Eastern Russia.

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Rhizomatous perennial bushy herb, that can reach 60cm to 1m of height. The plant grows in sun or semi-shade, in uncultivated meadows, sparse forests, hill slopes.. It prefers moist soils.

Flowering occurs from June to September. The flowers are white and grouped in small bouquets.The seeds are bright and hard as stone, hence the name of the plant.

The main dye, shikonin, is a naphthoquinones. It is found in the bark of the roots.

The plant is used in ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman world as a dye and as a cosmetic. Its use continues until the 19th century when it disappeared with the advent of aniline dyes.

Dried root of Listhospermum erythrorhizon are used in Chinese medicine for its antiviral and biological properties and in the preparation of creams for skin care.

China:

Japan:

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers and also in printing prints.

The plant has become very rare. It is grown in Iwate and Kyoto areas.

It is so famous in the 19th century in the West that it is called Tokyo violet.

Korea:

Its use seems very old in Korea, probably from the Goguryeo period (37 BC - 668 AD). This is a particularly popular dye by the nobility during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

It is used for dyeing fabrics and papers.

Preparation process for making paper

The roots are harvested in spring and in the autumn. They are dried for later use.

As shikonin is slightly soluble in water, the roots must be crushed and it is necessary to make several infusions. Extraction can be done also in vinegar.

Japan:

The color varies according to the mordant used from deep purple (ash lye) to purple grey (alum).

Korea:

Paper names

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.

Used part of the plant:

Root

Use for paper making:

Dye

Language:

Chinese

Local scripture:

胭脂

Botanical classification

Carthamus tinctorius L.

Order:

Asterales

Family:

Asteraceae

Plant growing area

Carthamus tinctorius is apparently native originally to the eastern Mediterranean; since it grows wild in South Europe and around Mediterranean Sea (Turkey), it is known mostly in cultivation today.

China (Gansu, Guangxi, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Zheijiang).

Use area in the manufacture of paper

China, Japan, Korea.

Plant cultivation and use

Carthamus tinctorius is an annual or biennial herb that can reach one meter in height.

It is cultivated in Asia as a source of vegetable dye and oil seed. Dried flowers are also used in traditional Chinese medicine.

The coloring substance comes from the dried flowers. The flower contains two coloring substances: red (carthamine, soluble in bases) and yellow (precarthamine, safflomine, tinctormine soluble in water). The yellow dye, water soluble, can be removed by soaking first, the flowers in water and changing the water after pressing flowers, until it becomes clear. Its use is first mentioned in the 2nd century BC in the Far East but it is older in Persia. In China and Japan, the red from safflower was used as a blush.

China:

Using the plant as a dye was introduced by the northwest tribes; it is an important dyestuff under the Han (202 BC - 220 AC.).

It is used for dyeing paper from the end of the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368), beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), in particular for dyeing cards of officials, announcements of happy events cards; in general the paper is made of bamboo and is thick.

Japan:

Using the plant as a dye was imported from China during the Tang Dynasty (618-960).

Safflower is used as textile and paper dye and in Ukiyo-e printing; this use appears around 1715.

Korea:

This dye which is expensive is reserved for royal garments. Both dyes are used in dyeing fabric, the yellow one for silk and wool, the red one for plant fibers.

It is a popular dye for hanji. It is also used in high-blood medication.

Preparation process for making paper

China:

Qimin yaoshu treaty or “Main techniques for the welfare of the people” by Jia sixie (535 AD) and Tiangong Kaiwu or “Creations of nature and work of man” by Song Yingxing (1637) describe the preparation process.

The leaves are picked at dawn when they are still fresh. They are already crushed to a paste. This paste is pressed in a bag and rinsed to remove the yellow dye; the operation is very long. (The yellow dye can be stored as a basis for other dyes)

Flowers free of yellow dye are mixed with potash; the mixture is placed on a filter and washed down with water. The filtrate is then mixed with a weak acid (lemon juice, pomegranate juice) to precipitate the coloring material.

The red dye does not require the use of a mordant.

Japan:

Picking takes place during flowering (July-August), when the flower heads are almost faded.

The flowers are washed 4 or 5 times with water to remove unwanted material (yellow dyes) and then pressed and dried in the form of cakes for sale.

To extract the dye, the flowers are placed in contact with an alkaline solution (soda or straw ashes) for one hour and must be filtered to obtain the carthamine extract.

The residue is treated again with lye until exhaustion.

To precipitate carthamine as a powder, a weak acid (made from green plums or acetic acid) is used. Color can be dried for preservation.

Dyeing of papers 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 their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually the pulp is dyed in the vat before forming the sheets.

Korea:

Harvesting takes place in the morning when the plants are wet. The whole plants are placed in pots with water to ferment for 4-5 days. The liquid is then filtered prior to use.

Paper names

Korea:

Suffix ji = paper.

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

Used part of the plant:

Flower

Use for paper making:

Dye

Primary tabs

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Carthamus tinctorius L.

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Primary tabs

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Wikstroemia canescens Wall. ex Meisn.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Lithospermum erythrorhizon Siebold & Zucc.

Carthamus tinctorius L.

Pages