Who invented paper

Papyrus, contrary to many school textbooks, is not paper - the technology of production allowed to obtain only primitive and rough material for writing. The first paper close to the paper used today was invented in China. Paper is among the four great inventions that had a significant impact on the development of civilization.

Cai Lun, a dignitary from China's Han Dynasty, invented paper in 105 and perfected the technology to make it. Prior to this invention, paper was made from hemp and silk fibers, but Cai Lun used slightly different components to make paper. The paper invented by the dignitary was based on mulberry and hemp fibers, and ash was used in its production.

Cai Lun's very first paper used mulberry and hemp fibers, rags, and ash, but later the inventor began using starch, vegetable dyes, limestone, and other ingredients to make the paper stronger, smoother, and more applicable.

Step-by-step paper making using Tsai Lun's method:

[INDENT]- Soaking fibers and other coarse materials to give them elasticity;
- Heat treatment of fibers with charcoal, grinding of fibers. All of these steps resulted in the formation of cellulose;
- Aging the pulp, adding starch to it for greater elasticity;
- Pouring and pressing of raw materials;
- Drying of a sheet obtained by pressing. [/INDENT]

In this way, a strong and flexible paper suitable for writing could be obtained. Cai Lun served in the imperial palace from the age of 25. Ancient writings tell us that the emperor was so pleased with his subordinate's achievement that he even gave Cai Lun an aristocratic title and granted him new powers. The inventor also received a sum of money from the emperor that made him a rich and respected man.

However, the success of the paper inventor was not restrained by other courtiers, who entangled Cai Lun in a great deal of intrigue. Cai Lun's name was defamed, and he, unable to withstand the pressure, took a deadly poison. Cai Lun, born in the year 50, made his major invention in the 55th year of his life. The inventor of paper died in his 71st year of life (at 121).

Soon China was enriched with paper masters who carefully kept all the secrets of production. At the beginning of the seventh century, the Cai Lun method of papermaking was used in Korea and Japan, after which the secrets of papermaking became known to the masters of other Asian countries. In the West, the secrets of paper making came after the Arabs captured one of the Chinese masters in the city of Samarkand in the eighth century and learned from him all the technologies and production of paper sheets.

In Europe, however, modern paper was not produced until the twelfth century - Europeans persistently ignored Tsai Lun's invention. To this day, Cai Lun's name is still missing from many European books and reference books. In China, every child attending school knows about the invention and fate of Cai Lun, who made the first paper.