Did you know that papermaking was kept a secret for a long time? Paper, as we know it today, was a guarded secret in China for a very long time.
The ancient Egyptians used papyrus as writing material. Many people think that this was the start of paper as we know it today but it is not. The "recipe" for making paper like we know it today originally came from China.
The inventor of this “true paper” was revered as the patron saint of papermaking. Chinese court official, Ts’ai Lun, experimented with softening the fiber of materials, such as tree bark, hemp, rags and fish nets, until each filament was completely separate. He mixed water with the individual fibers in a large vat, then sifted a screen through the water, which caught the intertwined fibers. This resulted in a flexible yet strong paper, which was called “Distinguished T’sai’s Paper.” Records show that he described this modern method of papermaking to a Chinese emperor in 105 A.D.
Even though the paper was seen by countries all over the world, China was not willing to give up this secret. The first time that this secret was revealed was when there was a war between Muslims and the Chinese forces. Many soldiers were captured and some of these captured men were paper-making craftsmen. They only revealed the secret to save their own lives.
Today we get paper in all forms and colors. We even get recycled paper, which is actually beautiful to use for wedding cards or invitations.
Even though the story of how paper was invented is an interesting tale, we need to remember that trees are cut down to make paper. It is therefore very important to recycle paper as much as we can to save the trees.
In the video below, you will learn how paper was invented and how it made life easier for all of us!
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Recycling paper will slowdown cutting the trees to make new papers. the use of online and digital media can minimize the use of paper too.