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How did Tsāai Lun make paper in ancient China?
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papermaking
Paper mill in British Columbia, Canada.
Around 105 CE, the Chinese official Tsāai Lun revolutionized papermaking by developing a method to create sheets from macerated plant fibers and recycled materials.12
To produce this paper, he utilized a mixture of:
* Mulberry bark1
* Other bast fibers1
* Hemp waste12
* Old rags12
* Fishnets12
By breaking down these materials into a pulp, he created a writing surface that was significantly less expensive and offered superior quality compared to the silk previously used for documentation. This innovation provided a more accessible medium for writing and eventually spread from China across Central Asia and into the Islamic world, ultimately reaching Europe.21