When was the earliest paper invented?

105, Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty reformed and popularized papermaking technology on the basis of predecessors' papermaking technology, and was regarded as the originator of modern papermaking.

The earliest paper existed 2200 years ago in the early Western Han Dynasty, but it was still rough and not widely used.

Before Cai Lun papermaking appeared, in China, Oracle Bone Inscriptions was used in Shang Dynasty, bronze ware was used in Western Zhou Dynasty, and bamboo slips, wooden slips and silks were used in Spring and Autumn Period.

In the Han Dynasty, agriculture was developed, economy was prosperous, national strength was strong, and cultural undertakings were prosperous. Thick bamboo slips and expensive silk can't meet people's needs, and it is the general trend to seek new writing materials, so papermaking came into being.

Extended data

The influence of papermaking on the world

Papermaking first spread to Korea and Viet Nam, which are adjacent to China, and then to Japan. Soon after Cai Lun improved papermaking, North Korea and Viet Nam had paper. All countries on the Korean peninsula have learned papermaking.

At the end of the 4th century, Baekje learned to make paper with the help of China people, and soon North Korea and Silla also mastered the paper-making technology. Since then, South Korea's papermaking technology has been continuously improved. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Korean leather paper was exported to China. During the Western Jin Dynasty, Vietnamese also mastered papermaking technology.

In 6 10, Tan Zheng, a Korean monk, crossed the ocean to Japan and dedicated papermaking to Shoto Kutaishi, the Japanese Regent. Shoto Kutaishi ordered the nationwide promotion, and later the Japanese people called him the paper god.

Samarkand became the paper-making center of Arabs. The earliest Arab papermaking workshop was built with the help of China people, and the papermaking technology was taught by China workers themselves.

Paper-making technology spread to Damascus in Syria, Cairo in Egypt and Morocco in the 10 century. In the spread of papermaking, the spread of Arabs can not be ignored.

Europeans learned about papermaking technology through Arabs. The first European country that came into contact with paper and papermaking technology was Spain, which was once ruled by Arabs and Moors. In AD 1 150, Arabs established the first paper mill in Europe in Sadiwa, Spain.

1276, the first Italian paper mill was built in Montefalo to produce hemp paper.

1348, the French established a paper mill near Trouvat in the southeast of Paris. Since then, several paper mills have been established, so that France not only has sufficient domestic paper supply, but also exports it to Germany.

Germany didn't have its own paper mill until14th century. Because Britain is separated from the European continent by a sea, papermaking technology was introduced late, and its own paper mill was established in15th century.

Sweden established the earliest paper mill in 1573, Denmark started to make paper in 1635, and the paper mill built in Oslo in 1690 was the earliest paper mill in Norway. By the17th century, all major European countries had their own paper industry.

After the Spanish moved to Mexico, they first established a paper mill in the American continent, and Mexican paper making began in 1575. Before independence, the United States established the first paper mill 1690 near Philadelphia.

By the19th century, papermaking in China had spread all over five continents.

In order to solve the problem of poor paper quality in Europe, French Finance Minister Durge had hoped to use Jesuit priests stationed in Beijing to spy on China's paper-making technology. During the Qianlong period, Michel Benoist, a French painter and Jesuit priest who worked for the Qing court, sent China's papermaking technology back to Paris, and China's advanced papermaking technology was widely spread in Europe.

1797, French Nicolas Louis Robert successfully invented the method of machine papermaking. Since Cai Lun's time, China people have been ahead for nearly 2000 years, and papermaking has finally been surpassed by Europeans.

The invention and popularization of papermaking had a far-reaching impact on the spread of world science and culture, and played an important role in social progress and development.

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