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💡 Paper
Before paper, people wrote on bamboo strips and silk. Then China invented something light, cheap and easy to carry.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
📍 Where is it?
📍 Luoyang, China — see it on the big map →
Imagine trying to do your homework on strips of bamboo tied together with string. That is what people in ancient China did before paper was invented. Silk was also used for writing, but it was far too expensive for everyday use.
People in China were making early paper more than 2,000 years ago. Then in the year 105, a court official named Cai Lun showed the emperor an improved way to make it. He mixed tree bark, old rags, hemp and fishing nets with water, mashed them into a pulp, spread the pulp thin, and let it dry in the sun. The result was a smooth, light sheet you could write on.
Paper was a huge invention. It made books cheaper, helped people share ideas, and slowly travelled along trade routes to the rest of the world. Every drawing, letter and homework sheet you use today started with this idea.
🤩 Wow fact!
Cai Lun's paper was made from tree bark, old rags, hemp and even old fishing nets — recycled materials!
🧠 Quiz time!
What did Cai Lun improve in the year 105?