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How many times a day do teachers ask you to get out a piece of paper? Today, paper is so easy to get and use that we hardly think about it. But, it was not always so common. The many types of paper available to us as well as the amount of paper that we use would have amazed a person long ago!
The First Paper
When paper was invented during the early Han dynasty (203 BCE - 8 CE) people had already been keeping records or doing artwork for a long time on surfaces such as bones, animal skins, rock, bronze and wood. A man named Cai Lun began to use tree barks, hemp (a plant), rag fibers, and old fishnets to make paper. He ground these up and made a kind of thick “soup” of the fibers and water called pulp. He spread the pulp out on a flat surface to dry. When it dried, it was a thick type of paper that could be used to write or paint on. He found that grinding the materials into smaller bits it made them stick together better which made the paper stronger. It also made the paper smoother and easier to use. But all the grinding, drying, and making it one piece at a time took so long that it limited how much was made and used.
Advances in Papermaking
A major advance in paper making technology came between 4 and 7 CE when the dipping screen was invented. The screen was made of thin branches of a willow tree that were arranged in a grid like the lines on graph paper, only further apart. They were tied together with vines. The screen fit into a four-sided frame that was made of bamboo, a type of wood. To make paper, the screen was lowered into a tank full of pulp, where it would pick-up the fiber “soup”. When the screen was raised the water would drain out and the fibers could be left to dry into paper. This was easier than spreading the pulp over a flat surface to dry. The paper created in this way was even thinner and smoother than before. The dipping screen made it easier and faster to create paper.
Because of the growing demand for paper, people looked for ways to make it even faster. A large hammer was invented that was powered by water. It beat raw materials into the soupy pulp. With a machine to make the pulp, papermaking took less time and more paper could be made. They used the invention to beat used paper into pulp, too, making new paper from old. The paper from the recycling bins in classrooms today get shredded and beaten into pulp in much the same way, but many do not realize that it is a very old idea.
New Designs and Styles
Along with technology such as the dipping screen and water hammer, different qualities and designs of paper were also developed. Between 400-550 CE, the Chinese began using bark and flowers to create colorful dyed paper. Plant materials such as wheat and rice were added to create different textures. They even discovered that certain tree barks contained chemicals that helped keep away insects that might have eaten and destroyed the paper.
The Tang Dynasty (618 -- 907 CE) is remembered as one of China’s most creative periods in music, literature, poetry and art and their influence on papermaking reflects that creative attitude. Two creative inventions of the Tang are still used today. They developed a way to put a design or symbol “hidden” like a shadow within the paper called “watermarks.” A person had to look carefully at the paper to see it. Watermarks made it more difficult to copy important documents. It was like a hidden code that showed up only on the original copy. Today we do the same thing with checks and other legal papers to make them safer. The Tang also invented a famous type of paper called “Xuan.” which was much smoother and absorbed the ink better, which made it easier to create beautiful writing. It is still used and respected for its high quality
By the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911CE), papermaking had endless variety and was being used for a new purpose. Wallpaper with various printed designs, some resembling carved colored wood blocks, became available. They even began to add shiny minerals like mica as they expanded the types of paper being made.
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Advantages of Paper
Other cultures became interested in papermaking because it was such a useful, practical invention. Paper had advantages over many of the things being used for record keeping, artwork, and communication at that time. The lighter weight of paper compared to clay or stone tablets made it more portable and easier to send messages long distances. It could be rolled or folded to a size that made it easier to store. The materials to make paper were easily available. In addition, writing with ink was easier than carving and the writing tools were lighter and easier to transport. Those features must have been particularly interesting to people who traveled such as traders and military. Paper had many features that caused more and more people to become interested in having and creating it.
Papermaking Spreads
People came to know about paper and papermaking in different ways. Interest spread to neighboring areas such as present-day Korea and Vietnam because there was already much trade and interaction with those cultures. It also became known and valued through trade with other cultures to the west along established trade routes such as the Silk Road. There is even evidence that war and military travel spread cultural knowledge such as papermaking. In 751 CE, when a Chinese army was defeated by Arabs at the Talas River, about 2, 000 miles west of Beijing. Among the Chinese captured by the Arabs were some paper craftsmen. They were taken to Samarkand, an important Arab trade city on the Silk Road, where they were forced to manufacture paper. This introduced the skill of paper making to the Middle East.
Papermaking technology continued to travel through time and throughout the world. In the 1300’s Arabs passed the technology and instructions to Europe and several centuries later, it came to the Americas. When we take time to think of all the ways we depend upon and enjoy paper today such as newspapers, paper airplanes, books, and more, it is hard to believe that it was once just being developed. So, the next time you take out a piece of paper, remember that you are touching something that took a long journey through history to reach you!
* About These Documents
This collection of documents was developed in collaboration with MCPS and ___. They provide additional information and explanation of the political, economic, and social systems of each dynasty. Students and teachers may find them helpful when completing the Dynasty Project in the sixth grade Unit 3 guide The Impact of Economics in Ancient and Modern China. The additional readings are provided to also supplement student understand of the achievements of ancient China and their influence on other civilizations.
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