Paper Culture at the Imperial Court of China

Zhiyou Han, Visiting Scholar, Harvard University Asia Center; Associate Research Fellow & Conservation Specialist, Department of Conservation Standards of Cultural Heritage, Palace Museum, Beijing 

Moderator: Jinah Kim, George P. Bickford Professor of Indian and South Asian Art, Department of History of Art & Architecture 

Abstract: Paper was far more than a surface for writing and painting in imperial China. It shaped artistic expression, furnished palace interiors, and reflected the tastes of scholars and emperors. This talk explores these roles through the history of Chinese handmade paper and the collections of the Palace Museum. It examines papers used in painting and calligraphy, traditional paperhanging (biaohu) in palace decoration, and rare paper varieties preserved in the museum, considering how their material qualities informed their uses and imperial preferences.