Turning Points · 105 CE
Cai Lun Presents Paper to the Emperor
Luoyang, Henan, China (imperial court)
What happened
In ancient China, people wrote on bamboo and wooden strips or on costly silk. In 105 CE, Cai Lun, an official of the Eastern Han court, improved the making of paper using tree bark, hemp waste, old rags and fishing nets. The materials were boiled to a pulp, beaten, mixed with water and dried into sheets.
Why it matters
His paper quickly took the place of the bamboo and wooden strips, and it was much easier to carry and write on.
What came next
Papermaking spread from China. By the 600s it had reached Korea and India, and through the Arab world it reached Europe, where paper was widely made by the 12th century.
Did you know?
In 2010 the International Astronomical Union named a crater on the Moon after Cai Lun.
Timeline
- 105 CECai Lun improves the making of paper.
- 114 CEHe is given the title of marquis.
- 600sPapermaking reaches Korea and India.
- 2010A lunar crater is named for him.