Tears and losses were stabilized with Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste. Various traditional kozo-fiber Japanese tissues were used to mend tears and fill losses. The specific repair tissue was chosen to match the thickness, feel and color of the rubbing paper. In a few extreme circumstances, severely torn and brittle rubbings were lined overall with Japanese tissue. A non-aqueous lining technique was developed for these special cases in order to help preserve the texture and planar distortions inherent in the paper of the rubbings.

The 2007—2009 conservation efforts are focusing on the treatment of rubbings from five culturally significant sites and rubbings of the writings of four emperors and calligraphers recognized in Chinese history. Three of the sites are UNESCO World Heritage sites: Mount Tai, considered the most sacred of the Five Sacred Mountains of China; Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius; and the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, which comprise over 2,100 grotto niches, 100,000 sculptures, and 3600 inscriptions. The other sites are Shala (Zhalan) and Zhengfusi cemeteries, the first Jesuit cemeteries in China. The emperors and calligraphers represented in this phase of the project are Emperor Kangxi, the longest reigning emperor in the history of China (1661—1722); Emperor Qianlong, who reigned from 1735—1796 and was a grandson of Emperor Kangxi; Tang Dynasty calligrapher Yan Zhenqing (709—785); and Song Dynasty calligrapher Huang Tingjian (1045—1105).

The rubbings in this phase of the project are not only fragile, they are also some of the largest in the collection. They range in size from 24 square feet to 120 square feet in area. The exact size of the largest rubbings earmarked for treatment is not known since they are currently folded and require treatment before they can be measured. Treating rubbings of this magnitude requires a great deal of space, endurance and patience. Currently a staff of one lead paper conservator and three assistant conservators are undertaking the challenge of treating these incredible rubbings.


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