The remains of ancient papermaking techniques in Zeya Town are in urgent need of restoration. Let us not allow this living fossil of papermaking to be lost and weathered.

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Zeya Town is located approximately 40 kilometers from the urban area of Wenzhou and encompasses over 30 villages. Walking through these mountain-encircled, water-surrounded villages, one can hear not only the sound of flowing water but also the rhythmic "thump thump" of pounding mortars echoing through the hills. These sounds originate from the traditional process of papermaking, where pickled bamboo is pounded into pulp.

In 1999, experts from the China Printing Museum visited the area and were astonished by the remarkable preservation of ancient papermaking techniques. Among the notable structures was the Four-link mill, which has been hailed as a "living fossil" of papermaking history. However, due to various factors, these historical relics are increasingly at risk of deterioration.

Siliandui, located in Nandou, Shiqiao Village, Zeya Town, is bordered by Nandou Mountain to the south and Longxi River to the north. During the Ming Dynasty, ancestors constructed four water-powered mills along the stream to maximize the use of water resources for pounding paper materials. This series of mills became known as the "Four-connected Mills."

Accompanied by staff from the Zeya Scenic and Tourism Bureau, we traveled more than 20 kilometers along winding mountain roads to reach Nandou, Shiqiao. Siliandui was designated a key national cultural relic protection unit in 2001. Although it is now within a protected scenic area, the site still suffers damage. After walking nearly a kilometer up a winding stone path, we heard the distinct sound of pounding mortars. The four connected water mills came into view-three arranged side by side, with the fourth situated about five to six meters downstream.

The operational mechanism of the Four-pestle Mill closely resembles that described in the "History of Jin," except that the original mill was designed for grain pounding, while here it is used for processing paper materials. Each water mill is equipped with a water channel directing water onto a waterwheel. As the wheel turns, it moves a vertical wooden shaft, which in turn operates a large stone pestle above. Below, a stone pounding pit crushes the bamboo fibers. Because the mills are built sequentially down the slope, the water used by the first mill flows into the second, and so on, creating an efficient recycling system that fully utilizes water power.

Despite its ingenious design, the structure has suffered significant damage due to age. The edges of the waterwheels have collapsed, revealing decayed wood, and many tiles on the water mills are broken. According to local tourism bureau staff, limited funding hampers effective maintenance. Typhoons often cause further damage, and in the second mill, the stone pounding pit has already developed cracks.

Although the Four-connected Mills are included within the scenic area for protection, other scattered paper workshops face even greater threats. In ancient villages such as West Bank and Shuicui Pit, clusters of paper troughs once formed a grand sight. However, most of these structures are now dilapidated. Stone-built paper troughs show severe signs of weathering, and some mills and troughs have been completely abandoned.

The ancient papermaking method itself is also at risk of disappearing. The origins of papermaking in Zeya date back to the Song Dynasty. During the Xuanhe period, people from Fujian migrated to Zeya to escape war. Finding the region rich in mountains and water, they established papermaking workshops. The paper produced here became known as "Nanping Paper," later abbreviated to "Ping Paper."

In the early 1990s, there were still several thousand papermaking households in Zeya. Today, only about 200 remain. The decline is primarily attributed to low profit margins. In Shuicui Keng Village, I met Mr. Chen Xichuan, an elderly craftsman who continues to make paper using traditional methods. He skillfully manipulated the bamboo screen in the pool, forming a thin layer of paper pulp. He then transferred the sheet onto a pile of paper slabs beside him. "The income is too low," he lamented. "Young people no longer wish to continue this craft." It seems that this ancestral tradition is nearing extinction.

Experts in cultural heritage emphasize that the Four-pestle Mill has been in continuous use since the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties and represents one of the few remaining examples of ancient Chinese papermaking technology. As one of the four great inventions associated with papermaking, its traditional workshops hold immense historical value. From the dam that channels water to drive the waterwheel, to the stacked layout of upper and lower workshops, and the preserved equipment and production processes, every element reflects a rare level of authenticity. If the Four-connected Mills are allowed to deteriorate, it would be extremely difficult to find similar living relics of papermaking art elsewhere in the country.

Therefore, Wenzhou Ouhai District is preparing to launch a comprehensive emergency repair project aimed at preserving the ancient papermaking technique. A revised plan, following extensive discussions, has been submitted to provincial authorities for approval. Once approved and funded by relevant national departments, full-scale restoration work will commence.

An expert from the Wenzhou Ouhai District Cultural Relics and Museums Museum emphasized that what needs to be restored is not merely the physical structures of a national cultural relic protection unit, but also the safeguarding of our nation's intangible cultural heritage. How to prevent this last surviving "living fossil" of papermaking from becoming a mere memory, and how to effectively protect the ancient papermaking process, are critical issues requiring careful consideration.