Development of Stone Writing and Packaging Materials [History]

Pulp writing materials made from wood-based origin and incorporating other fibers such as hemp waste, rags, and fishnets has been in existence since 105 CE when Cai Lun, a Chinese political official and inventor in the court of Emperor Hedi of Han, created the machinery and effective process of papermaking in China using the inner bark of the mulberry plant, hemp, rags from used clothing, and used fishnets. The mulberry bark was boiled down to create strands of fibers and macerated with hemp, rags, and fishnets to create the pulp used in processing the paper. Lun was assisted by his apprentice, Zuo Bo, who helped improve the overall process in 150 CE. Lun’s paper products superseded bamboo tablets and cloth made of pure silk as the primary writing material in China at that time [2]. The secret of papermaking was closely held by the Chinese until the sixth century, when the Japanese acquired the knowledge to produce their own paper. Then, by the eighth century, the Arab world began utilizing fine grades of hemp and linen with water to create pulp that they processed into a high grade of paper that was coated with rice starch when dried so it would be more receptive to inks. Unfortunately, the rice starch coating served also as a source of food for insects that destroyed many of the finished goods.