造紙術在漢代初具雛形,在隋唐時期步入全盛時代,進入宋代后,造紙術又出現了劃時(shi)代(dai)(dai)的(de)變化。宋代(dai)(dai)造(zao)紙的(de)原料更(geng)加(jia)(jia)豐富,向麻、竹(zhu)、木、草、皮等(deng)多(duo)原料轉(zhuan)變。現存的(de)宋版書用紙就極富地域特(te)色(se),四(si)川的(de)藤紙、浙(zhe)東的(de)竹(zhu)紙、江(jiang)(jiang)南的(de)楮紙、江(jiang)(jiang)西清(qing)江(jiang)(jiang)的(de)藤紙等(deng)品(pin)種都有使用。宋代(dai)(dai)作(zuo)為中(zhong)國書畫(hua)藝術的(de)黃金(jin)時(shi)期,造(zao)紙工藝已(yi)臻妙境。兩浙(zhe)、川蜀和福建是(shi)當時(shi)三大造(zao)紙中(zhong)心,采(cai)用竹(zhu)子、大麻和木棉等(deng)不(bu)同(tong)(tong)的(de)原料制(zhi)造(zao)質地不(bu)同(tong)(tong)的(de)紙張,再將這些紙張加(jia)(jia)粉、加(jia)(jia)蠟、染色(se)、砑花,制(zhi)造(zao)成(cheng)精致的(de)印花箋,箋色(se)有紅(hong)、紫、褐、黃、碧(bi)等(deng)眾(zhong)多(duo)品(pin)類(lei),用于寫詩的(de)為“詩箋”,寫信則(ze)為“信箋”,紙張從書寫材料升級(ji)為文房四(si)寶之(zhi)一,深受文人雅(ya)士(shi)的(de)喜愛。
南宋時期的竹紙大行(xing)其道,逐漸(jian)取代(dai)藤紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),登上(shang)(shang)歷史(shi)舞臺。歐(ou)洲最早以(yi)(yi)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)始(shi)于(yu)1875年(nian)(nian),比中(zhong)國(guo)晚了(le)(le)近(jin)千年(nian)(nian)。竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)的(de)(de)出現,開創了(le)(le)造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)史(shi)上(shang)(shang)的(de)(de)新紀元。中(zhong)國(guo)長江流(liu)域及江南(nan)(nan)各省(sheng),甚至黃河流(liu)域的(de)(de)南(nan)(nan)部,盛產各種(zhong)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)材。據不完全(quan)統計,適于(yu)造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)的(de)(de)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)類(lei)有50多(duo)(duo)種(zhong),產量大,分布廣。竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)子纖(xian)維堅(jian)硬,造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)技術(shu)難度大,北宋(song)初(chu)造(zao)(zao)的(de)(de)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)拉力不大,人一拆(chai)容易折(zhe)裂(lie),故作寫密信用(yong)。竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)至南(nan)(nan)宋(song)時(shi)(shi)(shi)質量提高,南(nan)(nan)宋(song)的(de)(de)能工(gong)巧匠通(tong)過鉆研,克服了(le)(le)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)容易碎裂(lie)的(de)(de)難關,于(yu)是以(yi)(yi)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)子作為造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)原料(liao)的(de)(de)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)在南(nan)(nan)宋(song)時(shi)(shi)(shi)期大流(liu)行(xing),《嘉泰會稽志》載“今(jin)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)名(ming)天下(xia)”。南(nan)(nan)宋(song)時(shi)(shi)(shi)期的(de)(de)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)大行(xing)其道,逐漸(jian)取代(dai)藤紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi),登上(shang)(shang)歷史(shi)舞臺。歐(ou)洲最早以(yi)(yi)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)始(shi)于(yu)1875年(nian)(nian),比中(zhong)國(guo)晚了(le)(le)近(jin)千年(nian)(nian)。如今(jin)杭(hang)州(zhou)富陽(yang)出產的(de)(de)元書紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)、京放紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)等富春竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)的(de)(de)造(zao)(zao)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)技法就(jiu)是承(cheng)襲當(dang)時(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)工(gong)藝(yi),已(yi)有一千多(duo)(duo)年(nian)(nian)的(de)(de)歷史(shi)。王羲之《雨后帖》、王獻之《中(zhong)秋帖》的(de)(de)宋(song)代(dai)摹本用(yong)的(de)(de)都是竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)紙(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。