Page 56 - 芒花拾穗_十年全記錄

Skills and Steps of the Ink Rubbings

Preparation
1. Brushes: use long and shorthaired bristle brushes and small shoe brushes.
2. Rice Paper: also known as Xuan Paper, better with double-sided Xuan paper for its stretching quality.
3. Sprayer: for an even, fine spray on the rice paper.
4. Baiji Water: as a Chinese medicine powder, Baiji is sticky when mixed with water. Spray Baiji water on
the inscription before pasting the rice paper.
5. Pins: puncture the strokes with pins to squeeze the air inside out.
6. Toilet Paper: this soaks up water from the rice paper until it recovers its original white color.
7. Ink: use black ink.
8. Dabber: a ball-shaped device filled with cotton, wood dust or sand in the middle and wrapped with
leather or fine cloth (cotton is better than the later two). The dabber can be large, medium or small
according to the size of the inscription.
9. Used Newspaper: unfold the newspaper on the ground and use it to put the ink-rubbed rice paper
down.
Steps of Ink Rubbings
芒花
Ink rubbing is a process of cultivating one’s character: it takes patience, physical strength, and stability. The Legend of the Silver Grass
Before rubbing, one should read the inscribed content very carefully and thoroughly understand what
‧ 拾穗
the inscription means. It’s similar to the observation of calligraphy before copying it. The steps and skills of
ink rubbings are as follows:
1. Cleansing the inscription: gently brush soil dirt or dust from the surface; careful not to damage the
56 cultural relics. 57
山海間的古道記憶 2. Spraying the Baiji water on the inscription surface: before pasting the rice paper onto the inscription,
spray some Baiji water on the inscription. It helps to preserve the ink-rubbed rice paper from decay or
moisture.
3. Pasting the Paper: the rice paper should be a little larger than the inscription. Be careful not to make
any wrinkles on the paper and paste from top to bottom or the middle to both sides.
4. Spraying Water: spray on the pasted rice paper to make it soft and stick on the inscription surface.
─ 草嶺古道尋幽行
5. Squeezing Air Out: brush along the paper’s edge and use pins to stab small holes on the paper to
squeeze out the air inside. Gently press the rice paper with toilet paper to make it even more flat.
6. Pressing and Soaking: cover 1 to 3 cotton paper tissues on top and press gently with one’s palm or
brush (the brush should be held vertically) to make sure the indents of every calligraphic stroke are tightly
十年精彩全紀錄 Memories Beyond the Mountains and the Sea: Past, Present, and the Future of the Caoling Historical Trails
close to the rice paper. Then soak up the water.
7. Inking: wait until the rice paper is dry and returns to a white color; pour the ink into the ink tray and dip
the dabber in the ink. Pat on the rice paper evenly and gently; be sure to use the dabber vertically to the
paper and from the bottom up or from the center to the sides.
8. Completion: mend the ink mark if necessary; then carefully remove the rice paper from the inscription
and let it dry on top of the unfolded newspaper on the ground. Roll up the rice paper together with the
newspaper when the ink is totally dry.
9. Cleansing Out: be sure to clean the inscription surface as well as the nearby surroundings; remember to
show appreciation and thank the inscription owner.
Tips for Ink Rubbings
The only tip for ink rubbings is to keep on practicing. The pillars of a temple, columns of traditional halls,
and the inscribed walls of schools are safe, perfect places for ink rubbings. Be sure to ask for permission in
advance, and cleanse the nearby surroundings after making a rubbing.