自唐朝文成公主遠嫁吐蕃時起,中原造紙(zhi)術傳入西藏已有1300多年的(de)歷史。
造紙(zhi)原料是(shi)一(yi)種(zhong)(zhong)叫"狼毒(du)"的(de)(de)植物,康(kang)巴藏語稱為"阿交日交",屬瑞香科,生長于高海拔的(de)(de)山(shan)坡和牛(niu)場(chang)。狼毒(du),就(jiu)是(shi)草(cao)場(chang)上一(yi)種(zhong)(zhong)紅(hong)色的(de)(de)植物,是(shi)一(yi)種(zhong)(zhong)毒(du)草(cao),接觸多了皮膚會過敏(min)。
造(zao)紙(zhi)工藝(yi)一(yi)般都有去皮、劃搗(dao)、蒸煮、漚制、漂洗、搗(dao)料、打(da)漿、抄(chao)造(zao)等環節。造(zao)紙(zhi)時,先(xian)把(ba)狼(lang)毒的(de)根刨出,里(li)邊的(de)黃心不(bu)能(neng)用,用中間白的(de)一(yi)層,撕下來刮成細條,曬干,放水(shui)(shui)中煮一(yi)到(dao)兩個(ge)小時,撈起來,把(ba)料子(zi)放到(dao)石臼里(li)用木槌打(da)成漿狀,再擱到(dao)酥油茶桶(tong)里(li)搗(dao)作(zuo)紙(zhi)漿。然(ran)后把(ba)撈紙(zhi)框(kuang)(kuang)(木框(kuang)(kuang)繃紗布做(zuo)成)擺在(zai)水(shui)(shui)面上,倒紙(zhi)漿進去,然(ran)后慢(man)慢(man)晃動框(kuang)(kuang)架(jia),讓漿液(ye)變得(de)均勻平整,再輕(qing)輕(qing)提起框(kuang)(kuang)架(jia),等水(shui)(shui)滴(di)完,拿到(dao)院子(zi)里(li)靠墻(qiang)斜放,自然(ran)晾干。最后把(ba)紙(zhi)從(cong)紙(zhi)框(kuang)(kuang)揭下,用石頭研光(guang)紙(zhi)面,就(jiu)可(ke)以(yi)使用了。藏紙(zhi)堅韌(ren)潔白,吃(chi)墨好,不(bu)易(yi)污染,可(ke)題詞繪畫,也可(ke)糊窗(chuang)作(zuo)帳,品質可(ke)與高(gao)麗的(de)枸皮紙(zhi)比(bi)美。
中原內地(di)傳統上用(yong)的(de)(de)是一(yi)張簾子反復入水池撈紙(zhi)的(de)(de)"抄紙(zhi)法",而(er)西藏則(ze)用(yong)的(de)(de)是把紙(zhi)倒(dao)進紙(zhi)框,然后連(lian)框一(yi)起擱在(zai)露天自然干(gan)燥的(de)(de)"澆紙(zhi)法",并且(qie)兩種方法的(de)(de)原料也(ye)不一(yi)樣。用(yong)澆紙(zhi)法造(zao)的(de)(de)紙(zhi),質地(di)厚實,不適合(he)柔軟的(de)(de)毛筆(bi),卻適合(he)藏族、納西族的(de)(de)硬筆(bi)書寫,而(er)且(qie)能防蟲蛀。
因高原(yuan)干(gan)燥缺(que)氧,原(yuan)料有(you)一定毒(du)性,因而藏紙(zhi)具(ju)(ju)有(you)防(fang)腐、防(fang)蛀、防(fang)潮的特性,易于(yu)長期保(bao)存,其紙(zhi)質較為柔韌,經久耐用(yong),色彩(cai)也豐富多樣,具(ju)(ju)有(you)裝飾美(mei)感。
隨著社會(hui)歷史的(de)發(fa)展,西藏造(zao)(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)技藝形成了(le)多種(zhong)類共(gong)同發(fa)展的(de)格局。藏東地區(qu)盛產康紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),藏南盛產金東紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、塔(ta)布(bu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、工(gong)(gong)布(bu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、波(bo)堆紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、門(men)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(珞巴、門(men)巴地區(qu)的(de)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)),衛藏地區(qu)盛產尼紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、臧紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、聶紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(聶拉木(mu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi))、猛噶紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、灰紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)及(ji)阿里紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等(deng)。造(zao)(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)技術的(de)提高(gao)與普及(ji)使藏紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)行(xing)業(ye)名匠輩出,創造(zao)(zao)(zao)了(le)許多精工(gong)(gong)細作的(de)名紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),如產于塔(ta)布(bu)金東而享譽全藏的(de)金東紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),適于館藏文獻使用(yong)的(de)尼木(mu)縣毒紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等(deng)。許多特殊的(de)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)面加(jia)工(gong)(gong)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)品(pin)更令世(shi)人刮目相看,如印刷(shua)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)幣和郵(you)票的(de)精品(pin)藏紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、制作技藝精湛的(de)金汁、銀汁大藏經用(yong)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等(deng)即是其中(zhong)顯(xian)明的(de)實例。藏族造(zao)(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)業(ye)不僅在西藏地區(qu)得到全面推(tui)廣(guang),還傳入印度、尼泊爾、不丹等(deng)國。
高超的(de)(de)(de)藏(zang)紙(zhi)技藝、悠(you)久(jiu)的(de)(de)(de)藏(zang)紙(zhi)歷史、豐富(fu)的(de)(de)(de)藏(zang)紙(zhi)生產(chan)經驗(yan)創造了獨具特色的(de)(de)(de)藏(zang)紙(zhi)文化(hua),因此(ci)有必要對這一(yi)重要的(de)(de)(de)非(fei)物質(zhi)文化(hua)遺產(chan)加以切(qie)實的(de)(de)(de)保護。