The origins of genuine paper happened in what is now the People's Republic of China. Similar to the Egyptians, the Chinese had, virtually 50 centuries in the past, brought out a type of writing that used images. They also had been using several kinds of things to write on, most notably pieces of bamboo and silk woven into a fine fabric and it is possible that the barkcloth they used for other purposes derived out of the Paper. Mulberry was used also.
Legend tells us that in 105 years after the birth of Christ a government worker named Tsai Lung, invented usable paper, although it is clear from archaeological digs that in fact it was in existence in South East Asia for more than likely two centuries prior to him.
Way back during ancient times gone by scribing was usually on bamboo or occasionally on lengths of silk, which were called Ji in those days. Nevertheless the cost of silk and the weight of bamboo, these materials were not convenient. At this time Tsai Lun thought of utilizing the bark from trees, hemp, fish nets, and rags. In 105AD he put an idea to the emperor about the process of paper making and was endowed with many accolades for his idea. From those days paper has been utilized all over and is known as the "paper of Marquis Tsai".
If indeed this title is correct, will likely never be uncovered! Nonetheless what is important must be that the discovery was made that they could pound particular compounds derived from plant material in to a mache, extract unwanted substances, place the mache in liquid, sieve it onto fabric sheets giving it enough time to dry out. When fully dried, it conglomerated into a firm, robust sheet that was astonishingly light, and providing it did not get damp, turned out to be very dense.
This simplest of papermaking technologies is still in use in precisely the same way around Tibet and Nepal, the first places to make use of the techniques from China. A basic frame utilises a cloth made from cotton stretched over a single side, very watery grume is poured into the other side and spread around until it has reached a level. It is then left suspended that will let the water to drain and the paste to dry into a sheet of paper which may be removed by stripping off.
It eventually came to pass that a very talented individual came to realize that making a frame with ribbing and placing a fine replaceable bamboo mat over this, would enable the paper-making procedure to be quickened to a great degree. Instead of using one mould for every paper sheet, therefore severely restricting the number of sheets that can be manufactured at the same time, a stack of sieved mash could be built up a layer at a time, with merely a length of cotton thread between them in order to help with separation at a later time. The stack would then be pressed slightly, and each layer of mush moved to a board to dry.