THE HISTORY OF
TAIWANESE PITH FLOWERS

Video made by Eden Tai and Irene Wei
Music by Davis West

HISTORY of PITH FLOWERS & tongcao

Tōng cǎo 蓪草（Tetrapanax papyrifer ) is a unique plant that is endemic to Taiwan and Southern China, and has historically been used for medicine, shrouding, and packaging. However, it was most notably used for prints, paintings, and beautifully hand-crafted flowers that were used as hair accessories in ceremonies, cultural celebrations, and more. The first recorded use of tōng cǎo dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE) to make artificial flowers that adorned the hair of men and women who lived in the emperor’s palace. There were often strict rules enforced by the emperor describing who could wear certain types, how many, and in what colors, depending on their place in the hierarchy of those living in the palace. Originally, artificial flowers were first developed in Ancient China so that people could access flowers that were not locally grown, or restricted by the changing seasons.

CURRENT STATE OF PITH CRAFTS

The time has never been more urgent to research the near defunct craft of making Taiwanese pith veneer and pith flowers. This nearly 2000-year-old craft plays an important role in the cultural history of Taiwan and is vulnerable to being lost. Currently, there is only one remaining pith “paper” craftsperson in Taiwan and only a few pith flower making experts left. Additionally, the scarcity of tools to continue making pith crafts has contributed to the decline of this tradition. As the use of plastics began to replace tōngcǎo products in the 1980s, many tōngcǎo plants were removed from the fields in which they were once abundant to make room for crops that could generate more profit. As a result of the lack of written documentation, craftsmen, tools and tōngcǎo plants available, pith crafts have suffered greatly in the last 40 years. Right now, a revival for these crafts is being championed by the Taiwan Tong Cao Association, an organization dedicated to researching tōngcǎo and all crafts related to the plant. They have been diligently trying to recover information and have brought people across Taiwan together to preserve pith crafts through educational programs. As a recent member of the association, Irene intends to assist this preservation effort through educating artistic and cultural communities she is a part of in the United States.  

What is Tetrapanax papyrifer [TONG CAO 蓪草]?

Pith “paper” is made from a plant called Tetrapanax Papyrifer (or in Chinese, Tong Cao 蓪草), a member of the Araliaceae (ginseng) family. This plant is endemic to Taiwan and is  frequently misspelled as “papyriferum”, “papyriferus”, or “papyrifera”. Many people confuse this plant as a tree, but it is actually a shrub that can grow anywhere from 3-7 meters tall (9-22 ft), with leaves that can span to about 2 feet across. When the British first came to China and Taiwan in the early 1800s, they incorrectly identified the plant Aeschynomene aspera, otherwise known as the Sola plant native to India, which also has a spongy inner pith used for artificial flowers. The quality of Sola is a bit more like cork but it is prepared similarly to tōngcǎo. It wasn’t until 1852 that the source plant was provisionally named Aralia papyrifera by William Jackson Hooker. Afterward it was soon recognized that it was not closely related to Aralia, and in 1859, German botanist, Karl Koch, separated it into a monotypic genus, as Tetrapanax papyrifer. In early 19th century literature, you may see that the species is referred to as Fatsia papyrifera, but Tetrapanax papyrifer is now the official botanical name.

PAPER VS PITH “PAPER”

You may be wondering why pith “paper” has quotations around the word ‘paper’ throughout this website. That is because it is not actually a paper! A true paper consists of pressed interwoven fibers (usually made from macerated plant material). Pith “paper”, on the other hand, is more similar to a veneer and has a parenchyma cell structure. It is currently being debated amongst wood scientists, conservationists and crafts people whether pith “paper” should be called pith “veneer” instead.

How is pith “paper” made? What has tongcao been used for?

Pith “paper” is produced by chopping the stalk of the plant into pieces, then removing the inner white, spongy pith from the bark of the plant. The pith of tongcao is removed from the center of the stem using a bamboo rod. Holding the rod against a solid surface, the stem is forced downward which pushes the pith out. The pith is then pared spirally with a specialized knife. The end result is a long, thin, delicate and translucent sheet of veneer which is eventually cut into smaller pieces with a smaller knife using a square or rectangular template. In history, “paper” sizes ranged upwards from 31/2 inch (90 mm) square, the largest sheets being about 10 x 12 inch (250 x 300 mm). Nothing was wasted, large sheets were used for paintings, smaller sheets for flower making and the scraps were used as a medicine which was apparently good for promoting lactation during pregnancy, as well as a diuretic and to get rid of fevers. The scraps were also used as stuffing for pillows or in the bottom of coffins to soak up fluids from decaying bodies. The rods left after cutting were used as floats for fishing, or for young school children to make arts and crafts.