The Chinese invention of

PaperBy Isabel

Before paper was invented, the Chinese were in search for something to write on. People tried bone, stone and wood but they were hard to write on and heavy to carry.Then they tried wooden scrolls. They were made out of slips of bamboo tied together with silk.They were O.K. but it got tiring carrying lots of heavy wooden scrolls.Next people started using sheets of silk to write on. They were the best out of all the writing Attempts but they were expensive and not everyone could afford to buy silk.Finally, Cai Lun invented paper. Everyone’s problems were solved.

In earlier years, the Chinese didn’t use paper for writing on. They used it for clothing, shoes, armor and blankets.

1. Soak ingredients in water2. Cut to pieces and cleanse with water3. Immerse in tree ash and grass. Stew.4. Rinse with water and pound.5. Fish fibers out with paper matrix6. Dry7. Paper!!!!

Cai Lun’sPapermaking process

Today paper is made of wood.

1. Trees are cut down2. Wood is ground into chips3. Wood chips are made into pulp with water 4. Chemicals are put into mixture to stop yellowing5. Pressed 6. put through rollers several times7. Cut 8. Paper!!

Modern Papermaking process

In Ancient China paper was made of many ingredients.

(one sheet of paper doesn’t have all of these things in it.)

hemprice

seaweed

bark

straw

fishnets bamboo

grass rags

Cai lun was the inventor of paper. Cai Lun didn’t actually invent paper but he improved the art of making paper,although he might have been credited with an invention of someone from a lower class.

Before Cai Lun After Cai Lun

Cai Lun was born in Guiang during the eastern Han dynasty.He was given several promotions under the of he of han.Cai Lun got involved in palace intrigue. As a result of this, in 121 Cai Lun was to report to Prison. Before he did, he committed suicide by drinking poison.

Papermaking spread to Japan in C.610 and to Samarkand in C.751. From there it spread all over Europe to Italy, Spain ,England and other European countries. It was also introducedTo the Arabs and the Egyptians. The first paper produced in American colonies was in 1690.

How paper spread