Xuan paper Xuan paper Xuan paper ("xuanzhi" ), or Shuen paper or rice paper, is a kind of paper originating in ancient China used for writing and painting. Xuan paper is renowned for being soft and fine textured, suitable for conveying the artistic expression of both Chinese calligraphy and painting. Xuan paper was first mentioned in ancient Chinese books "Notes of Past Famous Paintings" and "New Book of Tang". It was originally produced in the Tang dynasty in Jing County, which was under the jurisdiction of Xuan Prefecture (Xuanzhou), hence the name Xuan paper. During the Tang dynasty, the paper was often
Wen Xuan education available and began selecting pieces for his new anthology in his early twenties. The "Wen Xuan" contains 761 separate pieces organized into 37 literary categories, the largest and most well known being "Rhapsodies" ("fu") and "Lyric Poetry" ("shi"). Study of the "Wen Xuan" enjoyed immense popularity during the Tang dynasty (618907), and its study rivalled that of the Five Classics during that period. The "Wen Xuan" was required reading for any aspiring scholar and official even into the Song dynasty, as evidenced by the medieval Chinese rhyme ""Wen Xuan" study thoroughly done / Half your licentiate already won" ("Wénxuǎn