World’s oldest paper documents exhibited in Liaoning

Archives of six official paper documents dating back to the reign of Emperor Xuanzong in the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) are being displayed at an exhibition titled “Liaoning Memories” at the newly built Liaoning Provincial Archives. The documents date back to 713, the second year of Emperor Xuanzong’s reign, and are more than 1,300 years old. Their well-preserved state indicates the high level of development of papermaking techniques in ancient China. They have been included in the Roster of Chinese Archives and Records Heritage List.

Translated by Du M