Jiama is an ancient and mysterious woodcut engraving used for praying and blessing, which is popular throughout Yunnan. Jiama paper of the Bai nationality has its own characteristics. Artist Zhao Longsheng was teaching this ancient skill at Fengxiang Academy, Fengyu Town, Eryuan County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
The way of making Jiama is pretty simple. Lay the woodcut engraving flat and paint the color smoothly, then put the paper squarely on the engraving, then brush it back and forth evenly for two times until the pattern is shown on the paper.
As a unique variety of folk culture, the Jiama of Bai nationality is a precious folk cultural heritage and has been included in the third batch of intangible cultural heritage list of Dali Prefecture.
Jiama has always been handmade since ancient times. As the paper is cheap and the process is easy, fewer and fewer artists are engaged in this field. There is still much more work to be done to inherit this ancient skill.
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(Editors: Rachel, Amy)
