Tiny sheets of paper carry profound history

Rarely seen examples of the unique huajian tradition fused with the human touch are on show at the Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy.

From Where the Fine Letters Fly, an exhibition running until March 15, displays colorful, patterned vintage paper, selected huajian catalogs, and planks and tools for woodcut printing. The objects are gathered from the collections of eight museums and cultural institutions, including the Palace Museum, the Suzhou Museum in Jiangsu province, and Rong Bao Zhai, Beijing's time-honored brand in fine papermaking and woodcut printing.

The exhibition charts the evolving aesthetics of intellectuals and high society, and reflects innovations in papermaking and printing techniques. When not printed with words, these patterned papers are worthy of appreciation as stand-out miniature paintings.