Hanji, Korean mulberry paper
Hanji, papel coreano de morera
- Date
- c. siglos VI-VII · confidence low
- Place
- Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, South Korea
- Credited to
- Papermakers of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla
- Field
- Matter & energy
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Handmade paper from paper-mulberry (dak) fibre prepared with a hibiscus mucilage (dakpul) and dried in thick, flexible sheets. It was used for books, windows, floors and objects, and the tradition survives in Jeonju and elsewhere.
It is not known when paper was first made on the peninsula; there are references to papermaking in Goguryeo (the monk Damjing is said to have taken it to Japan around 610). The Bulguksa dharani sutra (c. 751) is printed on paper that may be Korean or Chinese.
What it led to
- printed and handwritten Goryeo and Joseon books on a durable support
- floor and window coverings in the hanok
- conservation paper in modern document restoration