Why was papermaking so important?

While the history of paper has traditionally been overshadowed by the history of printing, the spread of paper and papermaking is arguably equally important, for this relatively permanent, cheap, and flexible material not only encouraged the spread of written culture across the globe but also transformed many other …

How was paper diffused?

The paper was soon widely used in China and spread to the rest of world through the Silk Road. An official history written some centuries later explained: In ancient times writing was generally on bamboo or on pieces of silk, which were then called ji.

How did China spread paper?

Paper technology likely arrived in India from China through Tibet and Nepal around mid-7th century, when Buddhist monks freely traveled, exchanged ideas and goods between Tibet and Buddhist centers in India.

Who spread the knowledge of papermaking to the Western countries?

Explanation: Arabic people have learned the papermaking technique in the 8th century from Chinese, as is being told, from Chinese people skilled in papermaking who were captured. The Arabic people spread the knowledge during their military campaigns in the North of Africa and the South of Europe.

How did papermaking change the world?

It removed the laborious task of copying text by hand and crashed the unit price of producing books, effectively sparking the spread of scientific and revolutionary ideas around the world. Along with the Germ Theory, it is generally considered as one of the most important breakthroughs of the last millennium.

Why was papermaking important in China?

It gave the Chinese a cheap and easy way of keeping records and made printing possible. Dynasty, centuries before it was known in Europe. Printers could copy drawings or texts quickly, much faster than they could be copied by hand. Inventors of the Song Dynasty created movable type, which made printing even faster.

What impact did paper communication have?

Paper has influenced society throughout the centuries through: Sacred knowledge preservation for scholars and clergy. The creation of newspapers, periodicals, magazines and books to share knowledge. Allowing communication among people separated by distance — letter writing.

Where did Chinese paper spreads originate?

From China, papermaking technology slowly spread throughout Asia. Records indicate that Korea produced paper in the sixth century. The pulp used to make paper was prepared by pounding fibers of hemp, rattan, mulberry, bamboo, rice straw, and even seaweed.

In what year was paper invented?

Officially, paper was invented in 105 A.D. by a Chinese court official named Ts’ai Lun, but in 2006, a fragment of a paper map bearing Chinese characters and dating from 200 B.C. was found at Fangmatan in northeast Gansu Province.

When did papermaking spread to Europe?

From the 14th century, papermaking began to spread to other European countries and, at the end of the 15th century, with the invention of movable-type printing, production really took off. The discovery of America and the subsequent European colonisation brought papermaking to the New World.

How did the art of papermaking spread to Europe from China?

Papermaking spread to other cultures as well. The process was introduced to central Asia, Persia, and India through the trade routes. The first recorded use of paper in central Asia dates from 751. Skilled Chinese papermakers were captured in battle in Turkestan, and forced to make paper during their imprisonment.