Development of paper
The invention of paper has significantly contributed to the spread and development of civilisation on a global scale. China was the first country that invented paper during the eastern Han Dynasty. A court official of the name Cai Lun in approximately 105 AD invented paper from worn fishnet, bark and cloth. This writing medium was light, affordable and appropriate for their style of writing.
How paper influenced Ancient China
Before its invention, bones, tortoise shells, and bamboo slips were all used as writing surfaces, however as Chinese civilisation developed they were able to create paper with materials that weren’t as bulky and heavy. Taking into consideration Ancient China’s overwhelmingly large population, paper helped with controlling and organising the society as record keeping enabled china to create a more structured nation. Diaries, audits, record keeping, reporting and accounting were other uses of paper during Ancient China’s civilisation. The establishment of paper played such a crucial role in the development of China to assist with a much-needed structured and controlled society.
How paper was traded to other societies …show more content…
For some time the ancient Chinese “played monopoly” by closely guarding the secret and eliminating other oriental centres of which paper may have been produced. Chinese merchants and missionaries shared paper, and their knowledge of papermaking, to neighboring and trustworthy lands such as Japan, Korea, and Central Asia. During a war between the Tang Dynasty and the Arab Empire in 751 AD, the Arabs captured some Tang soldiers and paper making workers. In prison the Arabs forced the Chinese to share their paper making skills otherwise there would have been other consequences resulting in death. Papermaking was also transported along the Silk Road where Tibet, India and more Arabian countries learnt the technique. The skill travelled to India in the 11th Century when Chinese monks journeyed there in search of Buddhist sutras. It took another 400 years for paper to cross through the Arabia world to Europe where in the 14th century many paper mills were created. Via the Arabs, Africans and Europeans then learnt the skill resulting in the first paper factory industry. In the late 16th century, the skill was passed to America and by the 19th century, when paper factories were set up in Australia, papermaking had spread
The invention of paper has significantly contributed to the spread and development of civilisation on a global scale. China was the first country that invented paper during the eastern Han Dynasty. A court official of the name Cai Lun in approximately 105 AD invented paper from worn fishnet, bark and cloth. This writing medium was light, affordable and appropriate for their style of writing.
How paper influenced Ancient China
Before its invention, bones, tortoise shells, and bamboo slips were all used as writing surfaces, however as Chinese civilisation developed they were able to create paper with materials that weren’t as bulky and heavy. Taking into consideration Ancient China’s overwhelmingly large population, paper helped with controlling and organising the society as record keeping enabled china to create a more structured nation. Diaries, audits, record keeping, reporting and accounting were other uses of paper during Ancient China’s civilisation. The establishment of paper played such a crucial role in the development of China to assist with a much-needed structured and controlled society.
How paper was traded to other societies …show more content…
For some time the ancient Chinese “played monopoly” by closely guarding the secret and eliminating other oriental centres of which paper may have been produced. Chinese merchants and missionaries shared paper, and their knowledge of papermaking, to neighboring and trustworthy lands such as Japan, Korea, and Central Asia. During a war between the Tang Dynasty and the Arab Empire in 751 AD, the Arabs captured some Tang soldiers and paper making workers. In prison the Arabs forced the Chinese to share their paper making skills otherwise there would have been other consequences resulting in death. Papermaking was also transported along the Silk Road where Tibet, India and more Arabian countries learnt the technique. The skill travelled to India in the 11th Century when Chinese monks journeyed there in search of Buddhist sutras. It took another 400 years for paper to cross through the Arabia world to Europe where in the 14th century many paper mills were created. Via the Arabs, Africans and Europeans then learnt the skill resulting in the first paper factory industry. In the late 16th century, the skill was passed to America and by the 19th century, when paper factories were set up in Australia, papermaking had spread