The earliest paper dates back 2200 years to the early Western Han Dynasty, but it was still rough and not widely used. In 105 AD, after improvement by Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he is considered the pioneer of modern papermaking.
Development process. Paper is one of the the Four Great Inventions in ancient China. Together with the compass, gunpowder and printing, it provides the material and technological basis for the prosperity of ancient Chinese culture. As one of the the Four Great Inventions in ancient China, paper probably originated in southern China, and is closely related to the rich tree bark cloth cultural system that emerged in Lingnan area more than 6000 years ago, especially around the mouth of the Pearl River.
The invention of paper has greatly advanced in time. The invention of paper ended the complicated history of ancient bamboo slips and greatly promoted the dissemination and development of culture. Paper is the crystallization of the long-term experience and wisdom of the Chinese working people, used as a sheet-like fiber product for writing, printing, painting, or packaging.