The origins of real paper began in South East Asia. Similar to the Egyptians, the Chinese had, nearly 5,000 years in the past, created a style of pictographic writing. They also had been making use of many different types of things to write upon, notably pieces of bamboo and silk woven into a fine fabric and it is possible that the barkcloth they used for other reasons derived from the Paper. Mulberry was used as well.
History leads us to believe that in 105 years after the birth of Christ an official by the name of Tsai Lung, developed papyrus, though it is clear from archaeological digs that it was actually in existence in China for more than likely two hundred years prior to him.
Back during ancient times setting down words was mainly on some derivative of bamboo or sometimes on strips of silk, which were known as Ji in those days. However, the soaring cost of silk and bamboo being too heavy, these materials were not convenient. At this time Tsai Lun came up with the idea of utilizing bark from trees, hemp, rags, and fish nets. In 105AD he made a report to the emperor about the production of paper and received much praise for his ability. From that time paper has been in use universally and is known as the "paper of Marquis Tsai".
Whether this accolade is accurate, will likely not ever be known! But the important thing has to be that it was found that if they pounded some substances taken from plant material into a paste, evacuate impure substances, place the paste in liquid, sieve it onto cloth sheets giving it time to dry. After drying, it conglomerated into a hard, dense sheet that was surprisingly light, and provided that it did not come into contact with water, proved exceedingly firm.
This the most simple of paper making technologies is even now practised in precisely the same way in Nepal and Tibet, the first countries to pick up the techniques from what is now the People's Republic of China. A simple frame utilises a cotton cloth pulled and held over one side, very watery mash is poured in to the far end and spread about until it is level. After which it is left so that it will enable the water to leave it and the pulp to dry into a sheet of paper which can be stripped off.
There came a time when a very talented individual came to the conclusion that building a frame with an arrangement of ribbing and putting in place a delicate removable bamboo mat across it, would let the process to be quickened to a much greater degree. Instead of using one mould for every sheet of parchment, consequently severely limiting the amount of sheets that are able to be made at one time, a stack of sieved mache could be built up a layer at a time, with only a strip of cotton thread between them to enable later separation. The stack would then be squeezed lightly, and each sheet of mush moved to a board to dry.