Old books and documents are the most precious treasures in the cultural storehouse of the Chinese people. In ancient times, they invented many now traditional techniques to protect paper against natural causes of destruction, especially insect damage. Wan-nien hungchih (10,000 year red paper) has been popular in the Kwangtung (Canton) region since CZ6ing times. Starting in the early 18th century, this paper, orange-red in color, has been used in books with stitched bindings. The author has investigated stitched books from CZ6ing and later periods in the collections of the Museum of Chinese History, the Peking Library, and the Tientsin Library. Themajority of those mounted with wan-nien-hung paper had not suffered worm damage, while the others had suffered worm or moth damage, some of them being virtually destroyed. A systematic study of wan-nien-hung paper showed that there are actually two types, one with an orange-red coating that is effective in protecting books, the other dyed with an orange-red dye that has no moth-proofing capability. The protective orange-red coating was analyzed by laser micro-spectrometry and found to contain lead; further, x-ray diffraction analysis showed that the coating was mostly red lead (Pb₃O₄), with some PbO and PbSO₄. PbO. The author provides a detailed discussion of both wan-nien-hung paper and paper used in traditional printed books to poison silverfish. Not all wan-nien-hung paper is moth-proof; only that in which lead compounds, especially red lead, are the chief components is effective. Thus, it should be called red lead treated moth-proof paper to distinguish it from wannien-hung paper. The author describes the technique for making red lead treated moth-proof paper, with reference to ingredients and proportions found in the CZ6ing papers as well as traditional techniques from paper workshops of the Kwangtung region, and incorporating appropriate improvements to enhance its effectiveness against worms and mildew. He hopes that in the future this paper will be used not only to protect stitched books, but also to protect other cultural relics such as paintings, calligraphy, rubbings, textiles, etc. -- AATA