Invention of Paper

Paper airplane...

Have you ever wondered why the Asian people are so good at origami/paper crafting? The simplest answer is that the people have a head start long before you do. You may ask how long they had. Well, the first paper that the Chinese invent is about 2000 years ago.

Paper is considers one of the four greatest inventions in China history, and it is definitely a proud invention. Well, until the internet takes over (hehe).

Before paper, people use anything they can write on such as rock, animal bone, Ipad (aka tablet), bamboo tree, and etc. The Chinese people were definitely utilizing the bamboo tree to its fullest as you can see from the picture.

Then, paper comes along. Nobody knows the exact date, but everybody seems pinned point the time is proximately around 105 A.D. The invention was credit to a man name Ts'ai Lun (some call him Cai Lun, it means the same person), who was a eunuch in the Chinese Imperial Court at the time.

Historical report said that he took some inner barks of a bamboo tree, mixed them with water. Then he pounded it with a wooden tool. Next, he poured the bamboo pulp onto a flat wooden cloth. Once, it dried, he realized that he has created a quality surface to write on. Voila, and that is how paper got started.

Unlike other materials before, paper is easy to store, light, and it wouldn't break when it drops. It saves a lot of time and manpower.

He swing and he miss...

Some contradictions have rise from recent study saying that Ts'ai Lun is actually not the first person who invented paper. The first sign of paper was dated 200 years before Ts'ai Lun time and was located in Tibet. Nonetheless, Ts'ai Lun was credited due to the fact that he makes paper popular (in my own opinion).

Now, you may ask how this technology leak out into the world. Well, we have to thanks the Muslim for that. A couple hundred years after Ts'ai Lun discovered paper, the Muslim started to attack China and were able to capture several workers from the paper mill. After some sweet talk and pony promises, the Muslim able to obtain the information. Not long after, the paper secret fell into the hand of the Spanish. The cycle continued until the United States have the first paper mill in 1600s'.

Sorry, the information above was pull straight from my memory and is not very detail. If anybody has a more expert understanding about the history started from the Muslim, please do share.

We just step into the New Year. I hope everybody is still joyful and happy even without the alcohol (hehe). As always, thank you for stopping by, I look forward to know you (my reader) better throughout this year. If you can't get enough of me, you may follow me on Twitter as well. From where I am and wherever you are, have a wonderful night and don't watch too many horror movies (hehe).

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