Chapter 170 Learning Papermaking

Now that everyone was warm, they calmed down and listened to the director.

Ni Ruoan, who was pushed out by Su Yuehe to deal with everyone, said tiredly: "Everyone is now in Xiaotun Village in your province. There is a reason why we chose to record here. Before I explain, let me ask you a question. How much do you know about papermaking?"

Guo Yingying was the first to speak, "One of the Four Great Inventions, it was invented by the eunuch Cai Lun during the Eastern Han Dynasty who innovated the papermaking process."

Zhu Pingan: "What does this have to do with our trip? Are you going to learn papermaking?"

"By the way, the mission of everyone coming here today is to learn the ancient method of papermaking. It is said that more than 600 years ago, a large number of people from Hunan settled here because of the transfer of troops from the north to the south. In order to worship the soldiers in the army and for survival needs, the "Cai Hou paper making technique" was passed here."

"There is abundant rainfall here, and there are hundreds of bamboo forests growing in the mountains, as well as a large number of birch trees and wild kiwi vines, which provide high-quality raw materials for ancient papermaking."

"This place was once prosperous for a period of time thanks to papermaking."

"However, traditional papermaking requires special tools, a long production cycle, complicated procedures, and low income. Therefore, with the development of society, handmade papermaking has gradually faded from the stage of history. However, there is a group of people who still stick to protecting this crystallization of the wisdom of their ancestors."

"You will ask the village for the address of Master Liu, the inheritor of the traditional papermaking method, and go to him to learn the technology of making traditional paper."

Han Chen raised his hand and said, "Director, I can learn anything. Can I go to the mutton noodle restaurant in front and have a bowl of mutton noodles?"

"People say on the Internet that if you come to Guizhou and don't eat mutton noodles, your trip is a waste."

Chen Sheng agreed with him, "What's the name of our program? "Food on the Road"! What's important is not the journey, but the food!"

"Xiao Shengzi, I've known you for so long, and you finally said something pleasing to the ear."

Zhang Shaoqing's words made everyone laugh.

Ni Ruoan smiled helplessly, "Go ahead, the production team is not stingy, today's mutton noodle production team will treat us."

"Thank you, director team!" Zhu Ping'an said happily.

Han Chen and his friends were afraid that the program crew would go back on their word, so they rushed to the mutton noodle restaurant on the street as fast as they could.

"Boss, give me a bowl of mutton noodles, a big bowl with meat!" Han Chen is very familiar with eating mutton noodles. The hut where Su Zi and her friends filmed the video is located in a village in your province.

When he visited the cottage, Su Zi took him to eat several times.

He skillfully poured a small bowl of spicy crispy chili peppers and put a bowl of kimchi in front of himself, then he happily waited for the noodles to be cooked.

Others followed suit.

Su Zi is so cute that he is dying of love with these people.

When completing the tasks on the show, each of them has more tricks than the other, and when eating, they are more obedient than anyone else.

As soon as the mutton noodles were served, everyone started eating with relish.

The staff who were filming them were all hungry.

It was obvious that they had just eaten mutton noodles before the guests arrived.

No wonder people on the internet say that the guests on this show must order takeout when they eat.

After eating a bowl of hot mutton noodles, everyone felt warm all over and even their palms were warm.

Eat well and work hard.

Your province is Su Zi's home turf, so leave the matter of asking for directions to her.

Su Zi first asked the proprietress of the mutton noodle restaurant, "Madam, do you know where the paper-making master Liu's house is?"

The lady boss of the noodle shop was filming them with her phone. When she heard Su Zi's question, she smiled and pointed the way. "Go along this road until you reach an intersection with a big banyan tree. Go up from that intersection and the house is at the top."

"Thank you, Madam Boss."

"You're welcome. You can advertise my mutton restaurant. Next time you come, I'll treat you to a meal."

"That's right!"

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Su Zi walked back under everyone's gaze, "Let's go, walk up along the road at the door and find the big banyan tree first."

Master Liu's residence was easy to find. When they walked over, they saw several masters using a bamboo curtain to repeatedly float paper pulp in a large pool of water.

The weather was quite cold and the hands of several masters were frozen red.

Su Zi went over and asked, "Excuse me, who is Master Liu?"

The second to last master stepped forward and said, "I am you. You are here to learn the traditional method of papermaking."

Everyone said together: "Hello, Master Liu."

"Hello, it's getting late. Please follow me. I will introduce to you the specific steps of ancient papermaking."

Without exchanging pleasantries, Master Liu took everyone to the first step of the traditional papermaking process.

"This is? The first step of the ancient papermaking method is soaking. Collect birch bark, remove the black skin, chop it together with the kiwi vines, and then add lime to soak it for three months."

As Master Liu spoke, he led everyone to the second process, where there was a large stove with a large pot on it.

"After all the ingredients have been soaked and softened, they are washed, put here to be steamed, and then mashed."

"The third step is to pour the pounded pulp into the pool, and then use a bamboo screen to scoop up all the pulp, filter out the water, and form a paper film."

The group then came to the step of covering the curtain and pressing the paper. This step was to take out the filtered paper membranes and stack them together neatly.

A wooden board and a large stone should be used to press it tightly to squeeze out all the moisture.

The fifth step is to dry it through the fire. Stick the half-dry paper to the edge of the fire, and peel it off after it is dried. The paper is finished.

Zhu Pingan exclaimed: "So this is the process of making paper."

Zhang Shaoqing's expression revealed shock. "Just a piece of paper actually requires so many processes. This is too complicated."

Master Liu looked a little disappointed. He sighed and said, "So now this craft is facing the risk of being lost. Young people in the village are unwilling to learn from us. Only a few of us old guys are persisting."

"A hundred years from now, these skills will have been lost."

Su Zi asked curiously, "What is the purpose of this paper?"

"Many museums can use it when repairing ancient books."

“It can be used for making paper lanterns, calligraphy and painting, and mounting.”

Master Liu's shoulders slumped, but he straightened his back instantly, looked at the crowd and said:

"Everyone has understood it now, do you want to try it yourself?"

Everyone nodded.

Everyone starts learning from the first step all the way to the last step.

Watching a thin piece of paper emerge from one's hands, the sense of satisfaction is indescribable.

Master Liu gave them the paper they made themselves as a souvenir.

"I don't know how long I can keep doing this papermaking business. When your production team approached me and said that I wanted to learn the traditional papermaking technique, I was very happy."

"I hope more young people can understand and learn the history of papermaking. This is our cultural heritage and we must not lose it."

"I hope that after the show airs, more people will be interested in this technology. I will teach everyone who is willing to learn."

"I definitely will, Master Liu!" Su Zi said firmly.