He Yuxin – Representative Inheritor of Dai and Naxi Manual Paper-making Craft Project in Shangri-la County, Diqing 

Profile of He Yuxin

He Yuxin, male, Naxi ethnicity, was born in October 1954 in Baidi Village (白地村), Sanba Naxi Ethnic Township (三坝纳西族乡), Shangri-La County (香格里拉县), Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (迪庆藏族自治州). He is the representative inheritor of the Dai and Naxi traditional papermaking craft.

 

Inheritance Background

Born into a Dongba (东巴) family, He Yuxin was deeply influenced by traditional culture from childhood. His father He Zhiben was among the first group of national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors for Dai and Naxi papermaking. In 1992, He Yuxin formally learned the craft from his father, and after nearly 20 years of practice and refinement, his skills have matured significantly.

Traditional Papermaking Craft

The Naxi Dongba paper (东巴纸), also called Baidi paper (白地纸), features unique production techniques primarily preserved in Baidi Village (白地村). Baidi (白地) (White Water Terrace) is the birthplace of Naxi Dongba culture, and Dongba paper serves as the most important medium for writing Dongba scriptures.

The papermaking process includes:

  • Raw material collection
  • Sun-drying
  • Soaking
  • Boiling
  • Washing
  • Pulp pounding
  • Paper casting
  • Sheet pasting
  • Sun-drying

Main tools include:

  • Paper screens
  • Wooden frames
  • Drying boards
  • Wooden mortars

Characteristics of Dongba paper:

  • Ivory-white color
  • Thick yet flexible texture
  • Uniform thickness
  • Coarse fibers
  • Mothproof properties
  • Exceptional durability

Inheritance and Influence

He Yuxin has mastered the complete Naxi papermaking technique and enjoys high recognition locally. His Baidi paper (白地纸) is revered by Dongba practitioners as premium material and widely used among locals. Since 1999, his craftsmanship has attracted attention from domestic and international media and academic institutions. He has trained his son He Shujun as the next inheritor to continue this ancient craft.

Preservation and Transmission

The Naxi papermaking tradition follows strict patrilineal inheritance through family workshops, making its continuation challenging in modern society. As an inheritor, He Yuxin not only fulfills his father’s legacy but also actively cultivates apprentices to ensure the craft’s survival.

He Yuxin’s contributions extend beyond technical mastery – as the representative inheritor of Dai and Naxi papermaking, he has made significant efforts to preserve and promote this intangible cultural heritage.

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