Oftentimes, the first papermaking is associated with Egyptian papyrus. Chinese paper, however, is more similar to modern forms of paper than that from Egypt. The invention of paper is therefore often credited to the ancient Chinese. Actual Chinese historical records make the first mention of paper in the year 105 AD, but archeological evidence suggests about 100 BC, about 200 years earlier.
Chinese Paper
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The invention of paper is not altogether surprising when one considers the love the Chinese held for written records and knowledge. Earlier methods of recording information, such as on silk, turtoise shells, and tree bark, was hard to make and therefore expensive. An alternative to these methods was discovered relatively soon compared to the rest of the world. The low cost and ease of production of supple paper made book-making far easier.
Chinese paper was most often producted from bamboo or hemp fiber. The waste products of these abundant plants were suspended in water, and beaten to a fine pulp. The resulting plant paste was then removed from the water and dried in thin sheets suitable for writing and book-making.
Even though quality writing paper had been discovered, it was still a major chore for scribes to make copies of books. Until the invention of the printing press, each letter had to be copied by hand.
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