Materials Analysis and Conservation of an Eighteenth-Century Qing Imperial Court Fenjian Calligraphy Scroll

Abstract

Abstract Court-produced fenjian (mineral-coated paper) from the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty (1736–1795) is characterized by its multilayered structure and delicate mineral coating, making it highly susceptible to powder loss, embrittlement, and structural fragmentation. This study examines the fenjian calligraphy scroll Poem on Tea Brewing by Zhang Zhao, preserved at the Summer Palace. Fiber morphology, microscopy imaging, X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-XRF mapping, and cross-sectional analysis were used to identify the paper substrate, mineral coating composition, gilding material, and stratigraphy. Results indicate that the support is pure bast-fiber paper, the coating layer consists primarily of kaolinite, and the gilding consists predominantly of gold, consistent with Qianlong-period court production. Based on these findings, a targeted conservation treatment was implemented, including humidification and reassembly, media consolidation, aqueous cleaning, backing removal, preparation of fenjian infills, two-stage toning, gelatin–alum sizing, stretching, and remounting in the traditional two-tone imperial hanging-scroll format. This study provides an integrated methodology linking material characterization with conservation practice, offering a replicable technical model for the preservation of Qing court fenjian artifacts.