Top 7 Chinese Inventions - Page 3 of 9

The very first paper production process

Historic records indicate that the Chinese pulp paper predate all other types of this medium and suggests that it was utilized as early as the 2nd century B.C. However, mass production was only possible later on, in 105 A.D. when Cai Lun optimized the technology. Cai Lun was a court eunuch who devised a procedure based on mashed tree bark, linen, hemp and fishnets submerged in water and left to dry/bleach naturally in the sun. Without him, the following invention would have had considerably less practicality.