Cai Lun's Invention of Paper

In 105 CE, Cai Lun, a court official of the Eastern Han Dynasty, presented Emperor He of Han with a new paper-making method using plant fibers, old rags, hemp waste, and fishing nets in Luoyang. While earlier paper-like materials existed, Cai's innovation produced a writing surface more affordable and practical than bamboo, wooden slips, and silk. The invention changed written communication, record keeping, and knowledge transmission throughout China and eventually spread worldwide. Paper's lightweight, versatile, and economical properties made it a significant technological development that altered how information was recorded and shared.