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Papermaking technique

Papermaking is one of the four great inventions of China. Paper is a sheet-like fiber product used for writing, printing, painting, or packaging. It is generally made by mixing water-suspended plant fibers that have been pulpized, interlacing them in layers, preliminarily dehydrating, then compressing and drying them. China was among the first countries to invent paper in the world. Paper from the Western Han period has been discovered through archaeology. Papermaking is an outstanding invention in the history of human civilization. In 105 AD, Cai Lun in Hanzhong, Shaanxi, summarized previous experiences and improved papermaking techniques. He used tree bark, hemp fibers, old cloth, and broken fishing nets as raw materials to produce paper. This significantly improved the quality and efficiency of paper production, expanded the sources of raw materials for paper, reduced costs, opened up new possibilities for paper to replace bamboo and silk, and created favorable conditions for cultural dissemination.

Cai Lun

In 105 AD, Cai Lun in Hanzhong, Shaanxi, summarized previous experiences and improved papermaking techniques. He used tree bark, hemp fibers, old cloth, and fishing nets as raw materials to produce paper. This significantly enhanced the quality and efficiency of paper production, expanded the sources of paper raw materials, reduced costs, opened up new possibilities for paper replacing bamboo and silk, and created favorable conditions for cultural dissemination. According to ancient records regarding Cai Lun’s invention of paper, the "History of the Later Han Dynasty · Biography of Cai Lun" states: “Since ancient times, documents have mostly been written in bamboo tubes; those made from silk paper are called ‘paper’. Silk paper was expensive and heavy, and not convenient for use. Cai Lun then devised a method using tree bark, hemp fibers, and worn cloth, as well as fishing nets, to make paper.” Thus, he was later honored as the inventor of papermaking in China.

Ancient papermaking methods

Taking the method of bamboo paper production recorded in the volume of China’s ancient book "Tian Gong Kai Wu" as an example for introduction, the steps involved in making paper from bamboo in ancient times were as follows:

1. Cut the bamboo and place it in the pond; use young and tender bamboo. Let it soak in the pond for over a hundred days, allowing natural microorganisms to break down and remove the green skin of the bamboo.

2. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then place the bamboo obtained above into the “Chang桶” and steam it together with lime stone for eight days and eight nights.

3. Use a mortar and pestle to remove the treated bamboo from the container, then place it in a stone mortar and pound it with a stone pestle until the bamboo is broken and turns into a mud-like mass.

4. Stir the material in the curtain; the broken bamboo material is poured into the sink, and the bamboo curtain is used to stir the material in water. The bamboo material forms a thin layer on the curtain, while the remaining water flows down from the four sides of the curtain into the sink.

5. Cover the paper with a curtain, then move the curtain back and forth repeatedly to allow the wet paper to fall onto the plate, resulting in a sheet of paper. Repeat these steps of moving the material and covering with the curtain to accumulate thousands of sheets of wet paper, and then apply heavy pressure with a wooden board to remove most of the water.

6. After heating and drying, the wet paper is lifted up one by one and then dried further. The equipment for drying paper consists of brick chambers built with soil bricks; fires are lit within these chambers. As the temperature of the soil bricks rises, the wet paper is placed on top for drying. After drying, it is removed to obtain the finished paper.

The Significance of Papermaking

Papermaking technology—especially the improved papermaking method by Cai Lun during the Eastern Han dynasty (also known as “Caihou Paper”)—was a revolution in writing materials. It was easy to carry, used a wide range of materials without restrictions, and promoted cultural development in China, Arabia, Europe, and the entire world.

After the invention of writing, what is crucial is having an effective medium for recording. The ancient Egyptians used papyrus from the Nile River to document history; in ancient Europe, people also used animal skins such as sheepskin for writing for a long time; while in China, before the invention of papermaking, oracle bones, bamboo slips, and silk were the materials used for writing and record-keeping. However, oracle bones and bamboo slips were quite heavy—Emperor Qin Shi Huang had to carry a whole cart full of them just to read official documents. Although silk was lightweight, its high cost made it unsuitable for writing. By the Han Dynasty, due to the rapid development of the Western Han economy and culture, oracle bones and bamboo slips could no longer meet the growing needs, which led to improvements in writing tools—paper was invented. Papermaking is an important chemical process. The invention of paper is a very valuable contribution to the spread and development of human culture in China, a major achievement in Chinese history, and it has also had a significant impact on Chinese history.