{"id":5691,"date":"2025-05-20T17:22:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T09:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silkdivas.com\/blog\/?p=5691"},"modified":"2025-05-29T15:27:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T07:27:52","slug":"a-lipstick-made-from-a-single-sheet-of-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silkdivas.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/05\/20\/a-lipstick-made-from-a-single-sheet-of-paper\/","title":{"rendered":"A Lipstick Made from a Single Sheet of Paper!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In many historical Chinese dramas, especially those featuring women dressed in Hanfu<\/a>, you\u2019ve probably seen a scene where a woman gently presses a piece of red paper to her lips \u2014 and voil\u00e0, her lips are perfectly tinted. It\u2019s a beautiful image, but have you ever wondered: is that even real?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, it turns out this ancient lipstick method does have roots in reality \u2014 but it\u2019s only partly accurate. The red \u201cpaper\u201d we often see in costume dramas wasn\u2019t actually dyed paper<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, it was silk infused with plant-based pigments. So while the idea isn\u2019t completely fictional<\/strong>, it\u2019s a bit of a romanticized version. That said, there were real ancient products quite similar to modern lipstick, often referred to as kouzhi or chunzhi (\u53e3\u8102 \/ \u5507\u8102), meaning \u201clip balm\u201d or \u201clip rouge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve ever watched how Li Ziqi<\/strong> handcrafted traditional velvet flowers (a Chinese intangible cultural heritage craft), you\u2019ll understand just how elaborate and time-consuming<\/strong> any silk-based process can be \u2014 and ancient beauty products were no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2160. Lip Rouge in Ancient Times<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ancient Chinese women had their own versions of lipstick<\/strong> long before the modern cosmetic industry came along. These products were known as kouzhi or chunzhi. A recipe from the Qimin Yaoshu<\/em>, a 6th-century agricultural and household encyclopedia by Jia Sixie, details one such method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIf you have little bone marrow, use beef fat instead. If marrow is unavailable, fat alone will do. Soak cloves and patchouli in warm wine. Cook them with the same method as making pomade, and add wormwood to bring out the color. Strain the mixture through cloth and pour it into ceramic or lacquer bowls to solidify. To make lip rouge, mix in cinnabar and wrap it in green oil paper.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In simpler terms, ancient lip color was made by blending natural aromatic herbs, animal fat, and red mineral pigments like cinnabar.<\/strong> Once cooled and solidified, the balm could be applied to the lips for a rich, tinted effect \u2014 not too far off from how tinted lip balms work today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2161. Lipstick Colors in Ancient China<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like today\u2019s lipsticks come in a wide range of shades, ancient Chinese lip rouge also had its own color spectrum \u2014 and some of the names are as poetic as the lines of classical Chinese poetry they appeared in. Here are some of the most common traditional shades:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc84 Jiang Se (\u7edb\u8272)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A deep, rich red \u2014 often referred to as \u201cChina Red.\u201d In Shuowen Jiezi, an early Chinese dictionary, jiang is defined as \u201cgreat red.\u201d This bold color is the same one you\u2019ll find on palace walls and traditional wedding robes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cCrimson lips and jeweled sleeves, both lost in solitude.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc84 Zhu Hong (\u6731\u7ea2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A vibrant vermilion hue, somewhere between red and orange \u2014 similar to what we\u2019d now call \u201cimperial red\u201d or \u201cpalace red.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cHer vermilion lips hadn\u2019t moved, yet the scent of rouge was already in the air.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc84 Tan Se(\u6a80\u8272)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A soft, muted pinkish-red \u2014 somewhat like today\u2019s popular \u201crosewood\u201d or \u201cdusty mauve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cHer brows lightly arched in black, her lips stained with delicate sandalwood red.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc84 Wu Se(\u4e4c\u8272)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A dramatic, almost-black lip color made using wugao, a dark, glossy balm. This bold look became fashionable in the late Tang dynasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWith black balm painted on her lips like clay, her brows curved low in sorrow\u2019s shape.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Like modern lipsticks, ancient lip colors followed beauty trends of their time. The overall makeup process also shared similarities with today\u2019s routines \u2014 albeit with more ornate flair. A typical look involved:<\/p>\n\n\n\n