Dragon Scale Bookbinding of Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦龙鳞装) by Zhang Xiaodong (张晓栋). 2017.
Zhang Xiaodong (张晓栋) is an artist representative of Fortune Blessing Studio (祐吉斋), and is believed to be the first artist to produce a complete work of dragon scale bookbinding (the Diamond Sutra) in a millennium. His latest work is a dragon scale bookbinding version of the classic Chinese novel “Dream of the Red Chamber.” The 120-chapter book depicts painstakingly intricate recreations of the 230 original images by Qing Dynasty artist Sun Wen, which he referenced in order to recreate the novel with historical accuracy.
Dragon scale bookbinding dates back to the Tang Dynasty and requires extreme precision to complete. The final product resembles a scroll when it is closed, and the content becomes viewable either by spreading the scroll or flipping pages. An image can only be formed if each sheet is placed in the exact position and configuration. Zhang spent four years printing and binding the work, using ancient techniques to fold and cut the pages, which are printed at a factory beforehand. With the involvement of modern technology in his working process, Zhang fuses the old and the new, articulating himself as a significant figure in the preservation of Chinese cultural heritage.
Photographs courtesy of 雅昌(深圳)艺术中心。
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