Joss paper 1- "Cloth"

According to Chinese tradition, one may send gifts to one's ancestors ( clothes, money and even whole houses) if paper representations of these things are burnt as offerings to them. Such paper articles are commonly known as "joss paper" .
  Many of these papers are most curious , if in their own gaudy way, and I shall be presenting more of such things in the future.

The present article of joss paper is a square sheet of thin Chinese , or "Rice" paper. It is printed with a elegant pattern of flowers and scrollwork. It is intended to represent a piece of patterned cloth-- presumably for ancestors who prefer making their own clothes.

 

This paper is printed off a woodblock, as seen from the black gouge marks in the upper left corner. This is somewhat surprising, considering that this paper was bought around 2011.This sheet was once part of a stack of sheets. All bore the same pattern ( as here) but were printed on different colour of paper -- green , yellow  and white in addition to this pink colour.

 

 

Japanese decoratve cloth tape

Although this is not, strictly speaking, a piece of decorative paper, I find it so beautiful that it would be a shame not to feature it here.

This is a strip of Japanese decorative tape. It consists of a strip of cloth, with an adhesive backing, much like a sicker or roll of scotch/duct tape. What sets it apart, however, is the extremely attractive pattern printed on it. It consists of flowers and leaves with a red background, and gold outline.

A length of the tape

A closeup. 

Chinese decoarted paper- 3

Another sheet of Chinese decorated paper. This particular pattern is also an imitation of brocade. Brocade of this pattern , or a very similar one is extremely often used in the covering of boxes, &c, and this appears to be a photographic reproduction of such a cloth