ryōshi sōshoku 料紙装飾

The decoration of paper used for calligraphy and painting *ryōshi 料紙. Paper dyeing is a type of decoration which is applied during the process of paper making. Many types of plant dyes, such as sappan wood *suō 蘇芳 and indigo *ai 藍, are used. The dye is applied with a brush, hikizome 引染, or raw paper is dipped into the dye tsukezome 漬染. Sometimes the fibers are dyed before the paper is made, sen'izome 繊維染. This includes two special techniques of paper decoration: *uchigumori 打曇, where indigo dyed fibers are dipped so that the top and bottom of a sheet from a cloud pattern; and tobikumo 飛雲, where paper fiber dyed in blue and purple are mixed so that small cloud patterns appear in a sheet. Mizutamagami 水玉紙 is decorated by applying a fine layer of colored paper (often blue) to a white sheet. Drops of water splashed onto the blue paper make holes in the upper sheet to reveal the white base. Chiriirigami 塵入紙 deliberately leaves darker coarse fiber on the paper surface for decorative effect. Other elements such as buckwheat, rushes, moss or gold and silver dust also can be added. Decoration applied after paper is made includes: 　
　 1) *Karakami 唐紙, a technique in which patterns carved on a wood-block are printed with mica, kira 雲母 on paper undercoated *gubiki 具引き with the white pigments *gofun 胡粉. Variations of karakami include *rōsen 蝋箋 (wax rubbed paper) and later, karazuri 空摺 (goffer). 　
　2) Gold and Silver decoration. Gold and silver leaves *haku 箔 cut into small geometric shapes *kirihaku 切箔, thin strips *noge 野毛, or fine powder *sunago 砂子, are scattered and pasted on paper. 　
　3) *Suminagashi 墨流し, a technique of paper decoration taken from the pattern of ink floating on water. 
　4) Drawings in gold and silver paint *kingindei-e 金銀泥絵 or various other pigments. Popular patterns include flowers, birds, butterflies and vegetation. When designs are large and complicated (close to a painting), they are called *shita-e 下絵 (underdrawing). *Ashide 葦手 is one of the most sophisticated designs used for decorating paper. 　
　5) Paper joining *tsugigami 継紙. Decorative paper is made by joining various sheets of paper in different colors and patterns.
Since ancient times various materials were applied to the surface of paper both to preserve and to create a better effect for calligraphy and painting. For example, paper sometimes was hammered flat uchigami 打紙, polished with precious stones or ivory, keishi 瑩紙 or dyed brown with Amur cork (Philodendronamurense, *kihada 黄蘗) for protection against insects. Gradually from this there developed various types of paper decoration such as printing patterns and paper dyeing. The earliest examples of decorated ryōshi in Japan can be seen at the *Shōsōin 正倉院 and date back to the 8th century. The technique of paper decoration reached its peak during the mid-Heian period, when the use of decorated papers for poetry and letters was extremely popular among the courtiers and the ladies serving at the court. Glazed *ganpishi 雁皮紙 and *choshi 楮紙 were most often used. Paper decoration after the Heian period is not as sophisticated as in this golden age. Notable examples are found, however, in the works of Hon'ami Kōetsu 本阿弥光悦 (1558-1637) and Sōtatsu 宗達 (see *Rinpa 琳派) during the Momoyama period.