Traditional Conservation and Storage Methods for Ancient Chinese Painting and Calligraphy on Silk Manuscripts

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I think I understand the premise of this: that the evidence of format for the preservation of painting and calligraphy on silk (flat folded, scroll, screen) is demonstrated by historical finds in tombs during certain periods.  However the writing style and repetition makes this a difficult read. The introduction is muddled and the title is used nine times in the first hundred lines.  

Introduction

Lines 25/26, dates for the invention of paper

Lines 56-61, is a repetition of lines 26-31

Line 61, Why are the conservation masters anonymous? 

Literature Review

List of references mean what? Need to be linked.  Two important references missed: Van Gulik RH., Chinese Pictorial Art and Needham J., Science and Civilisation in China. 

Methodology

Lines 101-104, Points 1 and 2 are the same

Very small sample group of 3 interviewees.  How many were these chosen from? 

Why only three?

Research Findings

Evolution from flat storage to rolled storage demonstrated by the addition of a silk margin. This much better and interesting but it must be remembered that removal from tombs tends to create lost context.  Were these objects only used by the elite or by the general general population?  These tombs are for whom and geographically where? A map might be useful to give the non Chinese reader insight as well as a time line for the dynasties.

Line 165, unrolled instead of uncoiled.

Line 170, demonstrated instead of proved.

Line 197, wood chips?  Does that mean split wood to form a stave to the top?

Line 211, found (to be) different

Line 224, aesthetic

Line 243, cannot use this reference if it cannot be verified

Line 248, development (of the) history

Line 258, was entirely , no 'an'

Line 270, the wind or sight, no 'the'

Line 274, lacked physical materials means what?

Conclusion

Line 300, were they 'essential intangible skills', or something that developed over time? Evolution?

Line 303, inherited (and continued) in the modern era

Very minimal conclusion.

Author Response

I think I understand the premise of this: that the evidence of format for the preservation of painting and calligraphy on silk (flat folded, scroll, screen) is demonstrated by historical finds in tombs during certain periods.  However the writing style and repetition makes this a difficult read. The introduction is muddled and the title is used nine times in the first hundred lines.  

• The revised paper reduced the repetition terms of calligraphy and painting in the whole paper.

Introduction

Lines 25/26, dates for the invention of paper

• About dates for the invention of paper had been added, with reference. 100 BC in China.

Lines 56-61, is a repetition of lines 26-31

• I think you referred the repetition of lines 11-14. However, the lines 11-14 is the abstract, and lines 56-61 indicate the research aim.
• I revised Lines 56-61 too.

Line 61, Why are the conservation masters anonymous? 

• We hope that the master can participate in this study anonymously, but one of the masters has some concerns, so he asked to be anonymous.

Literature Review

List of references mean what? Need to be linked.  Two important references missed: Van Gulik RH., Chinese Pictorial Art and Needham J., Science and Civilisation in China. 

• We added them, they are wonderful works on 1950s

Methodology

Lines 101-104, Points 1 and 2 are the same

• The Conservation Methods (point 1) and Storage Methods (point 2) are not the same.
• Conservation Methods focus on preservation, the minor physical restore (sometimes)
• Storage Methods focus on keeping the Silk Manuscript Painting and Calligraphy Work physical well.

Very small sample group of 3 interviewees.  How many were these chosen from?

Why only three?

• We have added more details in this article about the reasons for how to choose, and why only three.
• At present, there are very few inheritors of this kind of traditional technologies, which is one of the important intangible cultural heritage in China. The inheritors of these heritages are generally older,  So some inheritors are not particularly willing to be interviewed by us.   Even in the national specialized research institutions, there are few real experts in this field.
• This research choose anonymous interviewees based on their work experience. These interviewers often work for more than 20 years，some of them have doctorates and professorships, or they are practical experts in this field.

Research Findings

Evolution from flat storage to rolled storage demonstrated by the addition of a silk margin. This much better and interesting but it must be remembered that removal from tombs tends to create lost context.  Were these objects only used by the elite or by the general population? 

• Only used by the elite. Only very few professionals able to access to such important cultural relics. The general public has no access at all.   However, these experts may not be proficient in English, so there is few English literature research in this field

These tombs are for whom and geographically where? A map might be useful to give the non Chinese reader insight as well as a time line for the dynasties.

• We have added more detail owners and geographic information of these tombs in this paper. But it's very difficult for me to make a map.

Line 165, unrolled instead of uncoiled.

• Thanks, I changed

Line 170, demonstrated instead of proved.

• Thanks, I changed

Line 197, wood chips?  Does that mean split wood to form a stave to the top?

• Just means the wood chips

Line 211, found (to be) different

• Thanks, I changed

Line 224, aesthetic

• Thanks, I changed

Line 243, cannot use this reference if it cannot be verified

• This is a very important book in China. Not every ancient Chinese book has an exact finishing time.
• Change it as the Jia Ancient Chinese Book, date unknown

Line 248, development (of the) history

• Thanks, I changed

Line 258, was entirely , no 'an'

• Thanks, I changed

Line 270, the wind or sight, no 'the'

• Thanks, I changed

Line 274, lacked physical materials means what?

• Deleted lacked physical materials

Conclusion

Line 300, were they 'essential intangible skills', or something that developed over time? Evolution?

• More detailed explanations on this

Line 303, inherited (and continued) in the modern era

• Thanks, I changed

Very minimal conclusion.

• I added more details.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting and useful paper, however some revisions for clarity of language, presentation and argument are required. 

The grammar and language are not succinct and at times the writing becomes unclear. To assist the reader it would be helpful to have diagrams of various kinds of object and techniques that are discussed. The lack of clarity in the writing, the use of English words in uncommon ways and a need for more structural clarity from the Introduction, through the body of the paper to the Conclusion mean that diagrams, tables and illustrations would help considerably.

The paper would benefit from being passed to an editor for help with the language and grammar. 

The references good be expanded (to include for example a link to UNESCO's definition of 'intangible heritage', and other literature relating to the topic of which there are further examples in the conservation literature. 

The attached file has specific comments. 

The paper is very interesting but at the moment its excellent potential is limited by the issues in presentation, writing and the flow of the argument.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

This is an interesting and useful paper, however some revisions for clarity of language, presentation and argument are required. 

The grammar and language are not succinct and at times the writing becomes unclear. To assist the reader it would be helpful to have diagrams of various kinds of object and techniques that are discussed. The lack of clarity in the writing, the use of English words in uncommon ways and a need for more structural clarity from the Introduction, through the body of the paper to the Conclusion mean that diagrams, tables and illustrations would help considerably.The paper would benefit from being passed to an editor for help with the language and grammar. 

• I asked the editors to review it before first submitting, and shall ask them to review it again if the paper been accepted.

The references good be expanded (to include for example a link to UNESCO's definition of 'intangible heritage', and other literature relating to the topic of which there are further examples in the conservation literature. 

• Yes, I did

The attached file has specific comments. 

• All the points noted in the PDF had been changed.

The paper is very interesting but at the moment its excellent potential is limited by the issues in presentation, writing and the flow of the argument.

• i am not good as draw a diagram, so try my best to explain it more clearly.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

This is better and more coherent but the English is still not clear.

6 introduces rather than introduced

18 term 'cultural heritage' (no 'of')

24 Knowledge (not learning).... is a skill for students that also requires years of experience.

28 invention of paper, to be found in China about 100BC (ref)

29 There are two....  rework sentence

36 re-examines

39 furthers

44 bamboo slip length is 

45 stored in different...... What?  something missing

47 be a book

48 In the Chinese language Nang is...

53 creases

59 skills

62 this study aims...

63 explanation of

65 literature, including observing..

72 characters which are....

88-89 re-work sentence 'Although ...1960's

93-95 This information is not necessary here.  Maybe in the author's notes at the end

107 there are very few people to inherit this kind of traditional technology.

108 Masters

110 chose

111 these interviewees...

114 questions covered three main themes..

119 detailed concerns

122 were normally recorded

126-134 Muddled.  Please re-write

156 texts arranged

195 have appeared

203 Do you have a photograph of this map?

219 that were 57 lacquer and trousseau or tomb 57?

227 were unearthed

238 depositor had..

240 found to be different. 

263 After the Han Dynasty, in daily life, the appreciation and the aesthetic function........changed.

325-327 Hanging belts are better described as banners

338 introduces

340 research shows

342 of valuable ancient Chinese heritage.

344 still keep their traditions

345 addresses

348 technical limitations

349 English journals are restricted to the explanation of technical details

352 there are not many references in English

Now to the content: Your research findings are fascinating.  The conclusion is muddled and needs re-writing as it is weak.

4.4 screens.  These have only just been mentioned here.  I'm not sure if this fits in with the whole premise.  You have been talking about folding, rolling and storage in boxes for the main body of the paper. This seems like an add on. 

Author Response

To Reviewer

This is better and more coherent but the English is still not clear.

• Thank you so much for the comments and detailed suggestions, this paper had been re-edited before. However, if the paper can be formally accepted, we shall ask an English editor to review it again.

6 introduces rather than introduced

• Revised

18 term 'cultural heritage' (no 'of')

• Revised

24 Knowledge (not learning).... is a skill for students that also requires years of experience.

• Revised

28 invention of paper, to be found in China about 100BC (ref)

• Revised

29 There are two....  rework sentence

• Revised

36 re-examines

• Revised

39 furthers

• Revised

44 bamboo slip length is 

• Revised

45 stored in different...... What?  something missing

• Revised

47 be a book

• Revised

48 In the Chinese language Nang is...

• Revised

53 creases

• Revised

59 skills

• Revised

62 this study aims...

• Revised

63 explanation of

• Revised

65 literature, including observing..

• Revised

72 characters which are....

• Revised

88-89 re-work sentence 'Although ...1960's

• Revised

93-95 This information is not necessary here.  Maybe in the author's notes at the end

Moved to Author Contributions

107 there are very few people to inherit this kind of traditional technology.

• Revised

108 Masters

• Revised

110 chose

• Revised

111 these interviewees...

• Revised

114 questions covered three main themes..

• Revised

119 detailed concerns

• Revised

122 were normally recorded

• Revised

126-134 Muddled.  Please re-write

• Revised

156 texts arranged

• Revised

195 have appeared

• Revised

203 Do you have a photograph of this map?

• I think I can found the photo online, but I don't have the copyright to use it.

219 that were 57 lacquer and trousseau or tomb 57?

• It is not tomb 57, I revise it as to in a rectangular lacquer trousseau.

227 were unearthed

• Revised

238 depositor had..

• Revised

240 found to be different. 

• Revised

263 After the Han Dynasty, in daily life, the appreciation and the aesthetic function........changed.

• Revised

325-327 Hanging belts are better described as banners

• Revised

338 introduces

• Revised

340 research shows

• Revised

342 of valuable ancient Chinese heritage.

• Revised

344 still keep their traditions

• Revised

345 addresses

• Revised

348 technical limitations

• Revised

349 English journals are restricted to the explanation of technical details

• Revised

352 there are not many references in English

• Revised

Now to the content: Your research findings are fascinating.  The conclusion is muddled and needs re-writing as it is weak.

• Revised some sentence

4.4 screens.  These have only just been mentioned here.  I'm not sure if this fits in with the whole premise.  You have been talking about folding, rolling and storage in boxes for the main body of the paper. This seems like an add on. 

I think this would be fine to fit there due to the screens is also a form for Traditional Conservation and Storage Methods. If this paper does not mention this section, it would be quite uncomprehensive for this research.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx