YUQI LIU
Book Arts InstallationPrintmaking
Nüshu
Medium: Relief prints on handmade paper as artist’s book
Size: 14 x 5 in
Details | Front cover, back cover, and Inside
This book is a tribute to the Nüshu script, the sole writing system in the world created and exclusively used by women. Rooted in Jiangyong County, Nüshu offered a mode of expression for women in a feudal society where access to formal education was barred. The most striking feature is the red flower motif on the paper, reflecting the Bajiaohua pattern common in Nüshu writings. Underneath these vivid prints lies a covert message, ingeniously embedded during the papermaking process. While the paper remains damp, paper fibers are delicately extracted from the pulp with tweezers and artfully arranged on the surface, resulting in a variation in paper thickness that conceals the script within.
The secret message, discernible only when illuminated, pays homage to the clandestine nature of Nüshu communication. The inscription, "天下妇女，姊妹一家，生而不息，死而不亡," or "Women of the world, sisters in one family, ever living, never perishing," captures the essence of unity and perseverance among women. The book's binding, inspired by the Sanzhaoshu soft books traditionally shared between mothers and daughters, signifies the lasting heritage and fortitude of women's voices.