chikushi 竹紙

A yellow-brown paper made in China from bamboo fibers. Commonly known in Japan as *tōshi 唐紙 (Chinese paper). Characterized by a very high absorption of ink, chikushi was favored by Japanese literati *bunjinga 文人画 artists for painting and calligraphy in the mid-Edo period. To make chikushi, bamboo is soaked in water, beaten with a hammer, and then boiled after ash is added. The resulting strands are used for paper making. The paper was already in use by the Tang dynasty in some districts of southern China, such as Zhejiang 浙江, Fujien 福建, and Guangdong 広東, which became well known as production centers of chikushi. Chikushi was widely used by Chinese literati during the Song dynasty and its production increased as book printing flourished.