The word “paper” appears in the Chinese dynastic history Book of the Later Han (Hou Hanshu, 5th century CE). According to this text, Cai Lun presented paper to emperor He in the first year of the Yuanxing era.

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This is the earliest mention of paper in a written source. However, since the graph for paper [紙] is listed in the 2nd-century dictionary Shuowen Jiezi (J. Setsumon kaiji) (fig.2.), the invention of paper must predate Cai Lun by at least several decades. Cai Lun’s role was likely that of perfecting the materials, tools, and techniques of papermaking. The entry in the Book of the Later Han clearly states that Cai Lun used only plant fibers to make paper. Although hydrogen bonding is also used to strengthen animal fibers (e.g. in sericulture), it is most effective with plant fibers. Cai Lun was probably the first to use exclusively plant fibers to make paper and therefore he became known as the “inventor” of paper.

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Popularization of paper in China

An important role in popularizing the use of Cai Lun’s papermaking technology was played by emperor’s His consort Deng Sui (81-121). Empress Deng loved to write and sponsored the production and use of paper at court (to learn more about the early history of paper and Deng Sui’s role in it, see Alexander Monro, The Paper Trail: An Unexpected History of a Revolutionary Invention, pp. 59-61).

book fig.3. Book of the Later Han, a page describing Empress Deng loved papers

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The beginnings of paper in Japan

The earliest mention of paper in a Japanese source is in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan, 720). An entry dated Suiko 18 (610 C.E.) records the arrival in Japan of Tam-jing (known in Japanese as Donchō), a Buddhist monk from the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo. According to the entry, Tam-jing built the first water-powered stone mill to thresh barley, rice, etc. which is also an indispensable tool to crush the plant fibers into pulp. Although papermaking techniques probably had been introduced before (roughly at the same time as writing itself was introduced to Japan), it was with Tam-jing and his mill that Japanese papermaking truly came into its own.
 

Paper production in the Edo period

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During the Edo period, the domains in Western Japan held the monopoly over paper production. Like rice, salt, and cotton, paper was a valuable commodity. Because it was stored in provincial storehouses it was known as “storehouse paper” (okuragami). By contrast, paper destined for use by the central government was commissioned to specially-appointed hereditary manufacturing houses and was known as goyōgami (“official paper”). In addition to the regional monopolies, paper production by common citizens was also allowed. Papermaking tools such as the vat (sukibune) were taxed, giving the government an additional source of revenue. There were also seasonal workers who worked as papermakers during the papermaking season. Through these various systems, paper production expanded during the Edo period.

 

The situation outside of Japan

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In China, paper made from moso bamboo (Chinese mao zhu, fig. 1) was introduced roughly at the same time as book printing began in earnest. Before making the pulp, the bamboo is first fermented, a process which is known as “retting” (J. recchingu). In Europe, too, where rags and cotton were used as the main raw material, the rags were first fermented in water tanks before preparing the pulp.

The invention of printing brought an increase in demand that papermakers were unable to meet with rags, so new ways to extract pulp from plants had to be devised. The shortage of raw material was also felt in the United States, especially at newspaper companies, which resorted to publishing advertisements for rag collection. In Japan, papermaking culture was shaped by the availability of raw materials and benefited from the Japan’s rich natural environment. The availability of natural resources was definitely a strong factor in the development of Japanese paper and book culture.