Origin of Paper
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纸 “Zhi” (Simplified)
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Invented around 105 CE During the Han Dynasty under the emperor Ho-Ti
- Ts’ai Lun made paper by putting together hemp rags, thinly chopped mulberry bark, and water
- He then made it flat and dried it out in the sun
- Soon after it became mass-produced all over China
Applications for Paper
- Currency, which was institutionalized in the Song Dynasty
- Was easier to carry around than metallic coinage
- Iron not used for currency can be used for other everyday objects
- It impressed Marco Polo and would be later used in Europe starting in the 17th Century
- Toilet Paper
- Maps
- Buddist (and other religious) Scriptures
- Trade Records on the Silk Road
- Written Records
- Calligraphy
- Lightweight; easily spread around society
- Increased Literacy significantly
Impact on Song Dynasty