自(zi)唐朝(chao)文成(cheng)公主遠嫁吐蕃時起,中原造紙術傳入西藏已有1300多年(nian)的歷史。
造紙原料是一種叫"狼(lang)毒(du)"的(de)植物,康巴藏語稱為"阿交日交",屬(shu)瑞香(xiang)科,生長于高海(hai)拔的(de)山坡和牛場(chang)。狼(lang)毒(du),就是草場(chang)上一種紅色的(de)植物,是一種毒(du)草,接觸多了皮膚會過(guo)敏(min)。
造(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)工(gong)藝一般都有去皮(pi)、劃搗、蒸煮、漚制(zhi)、漂(piao)洗、搗料、打漿(jiang)、抄造(zao)等環節。造(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)時,先把(ba)(ba)狼毒的(de)根刨出,里(li)(li)邊的(de)黃(huang)心(xin)不能(neng)用,用中(zhong)間白的(de)一層(ceng),撕下(xia)來刮成細條,曬干,放(fang)(fang)水(shui)中(zhong)煮一到(dao)兩個小時,撈起來,把(ba)(ba)料子(zi)放(fang)(fang)到(dao)石(shi)臼里(li)(li)用木槌打成漿(jiang)狀,再擱到(dao)酥油茶(cha)桶里(li)(li)搗作(zuo)紙(zhi)(zhi)漿(jiang)。然后(hou)把(ba)(ba)撈紙(zhi)(zhi)框(kuang)(木框(kuang)繃紗布做成)擺在水(shui)面上,倒紙(zhi)(zhi)漿(jiang)進去,然后(hou)慢慢晃(huang)動(dong)框(kuang)架,讓漿(jiang)液(ye)變得均勻平整(zheng),再輕(qing)輕(qing)提起框(kuang)架,等水(shui)滴完,拿(na)到(dao)院子(zi)里(li)(li)靠墻斜放(fang)(fang),自然晾干。最后(hou)把(ba)(ba)紙(zhi)(zhi)從(cong)紙(zhi)(zhi)框(kuang)揭(jie)下(xia),用石(shi)頭研光紙(zhi)(zhi)面,就可以使用了。藏紙(zhi)(zhi)堅韌潔白,吃墨好(hao),不易污染(ran),可題詞繪畫,也可糊窗作(zuo)帳,品質可與高麗的(de)枸皮(pi)紙(zhi)(zhi)比美。
中(zhong)原內地傳統(tong)上用(yong)的(de)是一張(zhang)簾子反(fan)復(fu)入水池撈(lao)紙(zhi)的(de)"抄紙(zhi)法",而(er)西(xi)藏則(ze)用(yong)的(de)是把(ba)紙(zhi)倒進紙(zhi)框,然(ran)后連(lian)框一起(qi)擱在露天自然(ran)干燥的(de)"澆(jiao)紙(zhi)法",并且兩種方(fang)法的(de)原料也不(bu)一樣。用(yong)澆(jiao)紙(zhi)法造(zao)的(de)紙(zhi),質地厚實,不(bu)適合柔(rou)軟的(de)毛(mao)筆,卻適合藏族、納西(xi)族的(de)硬(ying)筆書寫,而(er)且能(neng)防蟲(chong)蛀。
因高原(yuan)干燥(zao)缺氧,原(yuan)料有(you)(you)(you)一定毒性,因而藏紙(zhi)具有(you)(you)(you)防(fang)腐、防(fang)蛀、防(fang)潮的特性,易于長(chang)期保(bao)存,其(qi)紙(zhi)質較(jiao)為柔(rou)韌(ren),經久(jiu)耐(nai)用,色彩(cai)也豐富多樣,具有(you)(you)(you)裝飾美(mei)感(gan)。
隨著社會歷史的(de)發展,西(xi)藏造(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)技藝形(xing)成了(le)多(duo)種類共同發展的(de)格(ge)局。藏東(dong)地區盛產康紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),藏南盛產金(jin)東(dong)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、塔布紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、工(gong)布紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、波堆紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、門紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(珞巴、門巴地區的(de)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)),衛藏地區盛產尼(ni)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、臧紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、聶紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(聶拉木紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi))、猛噶紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、灰紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)及阿里(li)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等(deng)(deng)。造(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)技術的(de)提高與普(pu)及使藏紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)行(xing)業(ye)名(ming)匠(jiang)輩(bei)出,創(chuang)造(zao)了(le)許多(duo)精(jing)工(gong)細作的(de)名(ming)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),如產于塔布金(jin)東(dong)而(er)享譽全(quan)藏的(de)金(jin)東(dong)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),適(shi)于館藏文獻使用的(de)尼(ni)木縣(xian)毒紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等(deng)(deng)。許多(duo)特殊的(de)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)面(mian)加工(gong)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)品(pin)更(geng)令世(shi)人刮目相看(kan),如印刷(shua)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)幣和郵票的(de)精(jing)品(pin)藏紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、制作技藝精(jing)湛的(de)金(jin)汁、銀汁大(da)藏經用紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等(deng)(deng)即是其中顯明的(de)實例(li)。藏族造(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)業(ye)不僅在西(xi)藏地區得(de)到(dao)全(quan)面(mian)推廣,還傳入(ru)印度(du)、尼(ni)泊爾、不丹等(deng)(deng)國。
高超的(de)藏(zang)(zang)紙技藝、悠久的(de)藏(zang)(zang)紙歷史、豐富的(de)藏(zang)(zang)紙生產(chan)經驗創造(zao)了(le)獨具(ju)特色的(de)藏(zang)(zang)紙文(wen)化,因此有必要對這一重要的(de)非物質文(wen)化遺產(chan)加以切實的(de)保(bao)護。