Korean Traditional Paper that will last 1000 years or more
History recorded on Dak paper aka Hanji

Few countries in the world manufacture their own paper to record their history.

None can make paper that will last more than a thousand years, as traditional Korean paper Hanji does.

Most papers, including archival papers, just become dust over time. Not Hanji - it lasts a very long time.

The world's oldest woodblock (xylography) printed text, the Pure Light Dharani Sutra (Hangul: 무구정광대다라니경), was printed some 1,300 years ago, sometime between 704 and 751, when the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, Korea, was built. Buddhist Temple Pagodas are known for being time capsules.

When the world's oldest woodblock printed paper was found inside the Sakyamuni Pagoda during a renovation in 1966, researchers looked into the Hanji paper, which the Pure Light Dharani Sutra was printed on. The Hanji paper was from the Silla period (57 BCE – 935 CE), made with Dak trees, common in ancient Silla territory.

The Dak tree, aka paper mulberry tree (Hangul: 닥 나무), is native to Korea.

Hanji paper, made from the inner bark of the Dak tree, have almost unlimited uses.

Koreans use the Hanji to write, paint, wallpaper, to make windows, floor-covering, door covers, weather flaps, and gaskets to seal doors and windows, wrap lanterns, make armor, and fans, not to mention print books to record history. I have used Hanji to diffuse light when setting up for photography shoots.

Korea is best known for its printing prowess. Korean woodblock printing tradition goes back long before the surviving printed manuscripts, including the aforementioned the Pure Light Dharani Sutra (Hangul: 무구정광대다라니경), which would have been printed during the Silla period.

The world's oldest surviving book printed with movable metal type is titled Jikji, printed during the Goryeo period in 1377 in Korea. The Jikji is currently being kept at the National Library of France.

The Korean Hanji paper was always in high demand by neighboring kingdoms for their record-keeping. Neighboring cultures also made paper, but none as durable or long-lasting as Dak papers (Hanji). During the Goryeo period, Hanji was called Goryeoji.

There are over 70 varieties of Hanji paper available today.

During the Joseon period (1392 - 1910), the Hanji used by the King was considered the best quality.

After a recent review by Mr. Lee Byeong-seop, COO of An-Dong Hanji, one of the largest Hanji manufacturers in Korea, of the Hanji used in a book titled Abhidharma-mahavibhasa Shastra, one of the volumes of the "6,000-volume First Tripitaka Koreana" printed by the order of King Sejo during his reign (1455~1468), Mr. Lee said the Hanji that the book is printed on from King Sejo's reign is of top quality. "The Hanji has the best formation and it is well-made by hand." (King Sejo was a son of King Sejong the Great, inventor of the Hangul alphabet.)

An-Dong Hanji, which produces about half-million sheets of Hanji paper annually, also produces top-quality Hanji exclusively used by the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration for restoration of ancient books and manuscripts. About 10-15% of An-Dong Hanji papers are made to last at least a thousand years.

The best environment for protecting Hanji paper is to maintain consistent temperature and humidity in an environment where there is no direct sunlight, or light with good ventilation.

"Good Hanji should have dense and smooth formation, free of impurities, with clear sound when shaken, and the paper fiber should look glossy when viewed under light," said Mr. Lee.

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