RP277 The Life and Death of Cai Lun

 RP277 The Life and Death of Cai Lun

Paper is something we all take for granted, but have you ever wondered who invented it? The answer, as you might imagine, lies far back in time, but it is not very far off in space. Meet the man without whom you might not be holding this book right now!

Cai Lun was born in China's Hunan Province around 61 A.D. In 75 A.D., he became a member of the Han Dynasty court under Emperor He. The emperor was impressed with Cai's talents, and made him the court's official manufacturer of instruments and weapons. Cai was also involved in palace intrigue as an ally of Empress Dou. His role in the arrest and suicide of the empress's rival, consort Song, would have serious consequences for him.

In 105 A.D., Cai invented the papermaking process as we know it. While paper had already existed in China for several centuries, Cai greatly improved both its quality and manufacturing methods. Legend has it that his idea came from watching wasps build nests from wood and plant fibers mixed with saliva. In any case, sheets of fiber are still dipped into water, drained, and dried to make paper today.

Cai's paper was a significant improvement over bamboo and silk, the most common writing surfaces of his time. Lightweight and inexpensive to produce, it quickly gained popularity. And Cai, whose position enabled him to promote his new invention, gained considerable wealth and a royal title.

But the past catches up with us all, and it caught up with Cai Lun. In 121 A.D., Emperor An, the grandson of consort Song, took the throne. One of his first orders was that Cai go to prison for his involvement in Song's death. In fear for his life, Cai instead killed himself by drinking poison—just as consort Song had done.

Cai Lun regularly appears on lists of history's most influential people, but remains largely unknown outside of China. Unlike his invention, the man who gave us paper has faded back into the mists of time.