The earliest form of paper was invented in ancient China around the 2nd century BCE, with the oldest surviving fragments dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE). These early papers were made from hemp¹ fibers² and later mulberry bark, rags, and fishing nets, refined through soaking, pounding, and drying. However, credit for standardizing³ papermaking is given to Cai Lun (蔡伦) in 105 CE, an official of the Eastern Han Dynasty, who improved the recipe using tree bark, hemp, and cloth scraps⁴, creating a more durable⁵ and scalable writing material.

Before paper, writings were recorded on bamboo slips, silk, or oracle⁶ bones, which were heavy or expensive. Paper’s lightweight, affordable⁷ nature revolutionized communication and culture, spreading via the Silk Road. By the 8th century, the technology reached the Islamic world, then Europe by the 12th century, replacing parchment and enabling mass literacy.

Archaeological⁸ finds, like the "Fangmatan (放马滩) paper" from Gansu (179–41 BCE), confirm China’s primacy in papermaking. This innovation remains⁹ one of humanity’s greatest contributions, underpinning¹⁰ modern education and information exchange.

最早的纸发明于公元前2世纪的中国，现存最古老的纸片可追溯至西汉时期（公元前206年–公元9年）。这些早期纸张由大麻纤维制成，后逐渐采用桑树皮、破布和渔网为原料，通过浸泡、捣碎和晾晒等工序制作而成。但造纸术的标准化归功于东汉官员蔡伦（公元105年），他改良配方，使用树皮、麻头和破布，造出了更耐用且可批量生产的书写材料。

在纸出现之前，文字多记录于竹简、丝绸或甲骨上，这些材料要么笨重，要么昂贵。纸的轻便与廉价彻底改变了文化传播方式，并通过丝绸之路西传。8世纪时，造纸术传入伊斯兰世界，12世纪抵达欧洲，逐步取代羊皮纸，推动了知识的普及。

考古发现如甘肃“放马滩纸”（公元前179–前41年）印证了中国造纸术的起源。这项发明至今仍是人类最重要的贡献之一，为现代教育与信息传递奠定了基础。