Paper Evidence Through Day and Night, Living Up to Our Youth: The First 'Yangtze Paper Print Art Exhibition' Kicked Off Excitingly During the Full Print Show
On October 13th, the first 'Yangtze Paper Printing Art Exhibition' officially opened during the National Printing Exhibition. The exhibition is co-hosted by the printing associations of ten provinces and cities along the Yangtze Economic Belt, with the theme 'Paper records the passage of time, making the most of our youth,' showcasing the latest achievements in printing art from the Yangtze River region.
Ten provinces and cities coming together, 257 works gather craftsmanship.
On the afternoon of October 13, the annual meeting of the Third Yangtze River Economic Belt Printing Association Joint Conference and the opening ceremony of the first 'Yangtze Paper Printing Art Exhibition' were held at the Jielong Headquarters Park in Shanghai. That evening, the 'Spender Night - Outstanding Works Release of the First Yangtze Paper Printing Art Exhibition' took place.
01
Coverage Across Ten Provinces and Cities, Balanced Presentation of Four Categories
This exhibition was jointly organized by the member units of the Printing Association Joint Conference across ten provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and undertaken by the Shanghai Printing Industry Association. The exhibition received a total of 257 works submitted by over 96 units, covering four main categories: traditional printing techniques, exquisite craft books, paper packaging products, and modern creative printing arts. After strict selection by the expert panel, 46 outstanding works and 141 shortlisted works were recommended, with 16 pieces receiving special promotion in the annual summary, achieving full coverage across the ten provinces and cities and a balanced presentation of the four categories.
02
Showcasing Achievements in Green and Digital Smart Transformation
The exhibits highlight the craftsmanship achievements of regional printing companies in their green and digital smart transformation-ranging from meticulous reproductions of ancient buildings to innovative expressions of intangible cultural heritage, from eco-friendly creative paper packaging to AI-powered digital printing. They fully showcase the deep cultural roots and vibrant energy of printing along the Yangtze River.
Introduction to Outstanding Works
"Zero Sugar Prints"
(Shanghai Printing (Group) Co., Ltd.)
Turning sticky notes into gifts, using minimal candy wrapper-style packaging to combine sticky notes, reference tabs, and interactive items. The Shang Shang Qian bookmarks feature 10 kinds of hot stamping in a thumb-sized space, with the finest precision printing at 0.2mm; golden phone stickers layer 8 processes within 4.5cm; fragrance cards achieve 8 hot-stamping processes and 2 UV prints on a fingernail-sized area, showcasing the beauty of digital printing technology.
"Panda" (Classic Slim)
(Shanghai Tobacco Packaging & Printing Co., Ltd.)
Carrying forward the classic main color, paired with crescent white as an accent, the letters 'PANDA' are deconstructed and reorganized to form an abstract background pattern. Innovatively features large beveled corners with gold diagonal lines, using a skin-feel process and silk-screen embossing, with embedded temperature-sensitive and color-shifting anti-counterfeiting technology.
The Mawangdui Silk Manuscripts of the 'Laozi' Versions A and B, and Lost Texts
(Shanghai Artron Art Printing Co., Ltd.)
This presents the Mawangdui silk manuscripts of 'Laozi' Versions A and B, along with the lost texts, in high-definition images. It combines full-size displays with close-ups, preserving brush strokes and texture. The overlapping annotations correspond to the original text and interpretations, complemented by panoramic views of the scrolls, making it easy to read and study calligraphy.
'The Regional Military Governors and Tang Dynasty Politics'
(Jiangsu Phoenix Xinhua Printing Group Co., Ltd.)
The dust jacket is made of 140g high-grade art paper, printed in four colors and coated with gloss. The hardcover uses 116g colorful art paper with a special warm-gold color. The three edges of the pages feature 3D engraving and layered color printing, with precise alignment, giving it notable aesthetic appeal and collectible value.
'War and Peace' Complete Set (Illustrated Collector's Edition)
(Published by Nanjing Aide Printing Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Province)
Contains over 100 exquisite illustrations, with full-color printing throughout. The cover and spine are handcrafted with two types of high-quality leather, the spine features gold embossing, the cover has laser engraving, the edges of the pages are gilded on three sides, and it comes with a special cloth slipcase made to resemble a military uniform.
"Two Sets of Qing Dynasty Yuanmingyuan Prints"
(Zhejiang Printing Group Co., Ltd.)
This is an 8-open, collector-level print publication, reproducing two treasured sets from the Qing Dynasty: the Forty Scenic Views poems and paintings of the Yuanmingyuan and the Western-style building copperplate prints. It innovatively comes in a dual-box binding with both a square box and a long box. It uses multi-color foiling techniques in blue, red, and black gold, combined with embossing, custom die-cutting, precise glue positioning, sewing binding, and more than ten other complex processes. It's a benchmark work that blends traditional historical themes with high-end printing craftsmanship.
Furongwang (Blooming) Cigarette Packaging Box
(Zhejiang Ideal Packaging Co., Ltd.)
The design captures the blooming form of the hibiscus flower, combining traditional Chinese fine-line painting techniques with platinum-positioned paper for dynamic light and shadow effects. The paper uses micro-nano optical technology to etch platinum-positioned patterns, creating a 3D look. The UV printing is done with a Manroland 700 series 10-color UV press, and the finishing uses a two-station hot stamping machine to complete the embossing and gold stamping in one go.
"Two Thousand Years of Han Paintings"
(Hangzhou Daily Newspaper Group Shengyuan Printing Company)
We innovatively use a multi-layer tracing paper overlay printing process, carefully selecting high-transparency special tracing paper to carry rubbings of Han stone reliefs, and reproduce the stone carving lines in high-precision single-color offset printing. The base layer is paired with full-color printing on high-gamut matte paper of oil paintings by teenagers with autism, creating a double-layered overlay visual effect. This art book was showcased at the UNESCO Hong Kong dual exhibition and received high recognition from all sectors.
'Flowers and Dreams'
(Anhui Xinhua Printing Co., Ltd.)
Square hardcover style with a natural wood frame-style outer packaging; the cover uses coral pink textured specialty paper, paired with colorful geometric floral prints. The inside includes hand-drawn plants and floral photography, serving both as a coffee table book and a decorative art piece.
"Warm East Wind"
(Jiangxi Xinhua Printing Development Group Co., Ltd.)
The cover uses matte coated paper, and the inside text is printed on light offset paper, with four-color printing for smooth color transitions. The cover features a warm gradient from yellow to light red, with a hand-painted watercolor illustration of a grandparent and grandchild embracing, using a simple and clean visual style to reflect the warmth of rural life.
Huangshan (Red Square Seal Gold Slim) Packaging Paper
(Hubei Guangcai Printing Co., Ltd.)
Inspired by Dendrobium from Huo Mountain, Anhui, it follows the design concept of 'less is more.' The overall craftsmanship combines offset printing, tactile effects, screen printing, and embossing. The main pattern is highlighted with screen-printed UV to create a glossy-matte contrast. The small box lid uses screen-printed fragrance ink, giving off a strong jasmine scent.
"Stories in the Paintings: A Hundred Lectures on the Dunhuang Grottoes"
(Hunan Tianwen Xinhua Printing Co., Ltd.)
This book takes the Dunhuang murals as a starting point and explores the cultural stories behind a hundred grotto murals from multiple angles, including art, faith, society, and craftsmanship. The special paper of the dust jacket accurately reproduces the colors of the murals; Heidelberg six-color offset printing with four-color plus spot color is used; the cover combines embossing and gold stamping; the three edges are sprayed with Dunhuang patterns; the hardcover uses thread-sewn binding; and the slipcase matches the overall design, giving it a collectible-quality finish.
'A Paper Mountain City, A Paper Blossom' Bookmark
(Printed by Yintong Tianxia Printing Technology Co., Ltd.)
Made on a cardstock base, featuring purple beads and tassel pendants, combining quilling craftsmanship and flat printing techniques. The Wisteria version first prints an elegant ink-wash wisteria background, then rolls purple, yellow, and white quilling strips into 3D flower clusters and sticks them on; the Chongqing version uses vintage line printing, bringing together Hongyadong, the cross-river bridge, local delicacies, and dialect, capturing the lively essence of the mountain city.
"Yunnan Ethnic Arts and Crafts"
(Yunnan Publishing & Printing Group Co., Ltd., Guofang Branch)
This book systematically traces the traditional craft traditions of 25 native ethnic groups in Yunnan, and includes dozens of intangible cultural heritage techniques such as tie-dyeing, silver forging, Dai pottery, Wamao, and Yi embroidery. It uses Dutch Frog cardboard for the cover, wrapped in natural-colored specialty hemp paper, with high-precision color printing and thread-sewn hardcover binding, allowing it to lay flat at 180 degrees for easier reading.
"Munao Song Festival"
(Yunnan Newspaper Media (Group) Co., Ltd.)
The main body uses 300g coated paper for double-sided, high-precision full-color printing, with precise die-cutting to create layered, three-dimensional character shapes; the supporting base is made of UV-printed acrylic, with CNC-carved integrated slot structure for glue-free assembly.
"Shanghai Museum: The World Tree Summit" Calendar Ornament (American Civilizations)
(Guizhou Yunguan Printing Technology Co., Ltd.)
A calendar ornament themed on American civilizations from the Shanghai Museum, showcasing the museum's cultural IP in a modern creative print design.
We invite you to join us for a feast on paper.
From faithful recreations of ancient architectural treasures to innovative expressions of intangible cultural heritage techniques, from eco-friendly creative paper packaging to AI digital printing, this year's 'Yangtze Paper Art Exhibition' showcases the craftsmanship achievements of regional printing companies in their green and digital transformation, fully highlighting the rich heritage, contemporary vitality, and pursuit of excellence in the printing culture of the Yangtze River region.
Paper captures every fleeting moment, making the most of our time. The first 'Yangtze Paper Art Exhibition' is wonderfully presented during the All-in-Print event, and we warmly invite you to join this celebration of art and craftsmanship.