1.   Although the material was popular for formal documents because of its durability and appearance, it did not absorb ink like paper.

2.   Fountain pen inks are water-based, allowing paper to fully absorb the ink.

3.   It also absorbed ink, making whatever was written on it difficult to erase or alter, an important consideration when it came to preserving imperial records.

4.   The ink is then absorbed by the body, much like a fading bruise.