The origins of proper paper began in China. Like the Egyptians, the Chinese had, nearly 5000 years ago, invented a form of pictographic writing. They also had been making use of many different kinds of objects to write on, usually strips of bamboo and processed silk and it is possible that the barkcloth they utilized for other unconnected purposes derived from the Paper. Mulberry was made use of also.
Legend leads us to believe that in 105AD an official named Tsai Lung, created papyrus, although it is clear from archaeological finds that actually it was being used in South East Asia for probably two hundred years prior to him.
Way back in ancient times gone by setting down words or pictograms was mainly done on some form of bamboo or occasionally on pieces of silk, which were known as Ji in those days. However, silk being expensive and bamboo being very heavy, these two materials were not of great use. Due to these factors Tsai Lun thought of utilizing bark from trees, rags, fish nets, and hemp. In 105 years after the birth of Christ he made a report to the emperor about the process of making paper and received much praise for his abilities. Since those distant days paper has been in use everywhere and is known as the "paper of Marquis Tsai".
If indeed this title is correct, will probably never be uncovered! But the main factor is that they found that if they ground particular substances taken from plants into a mash, bstract unwanted substances, float the mash in water, filter it onto cloth sheets and give it time to dry out. After drying, it compressed into a hard, robust sheet that turned out to be particularly light, and provided that it did not get damp or wet, turned out to be extremely tough.
This the most simple of papermaking technologies is even now still being used in precisely the same way in Nepal and Tibet, the first regions to pick up the craft from what is now the People's Republic of China. A basic frame utilizes a kind of cotton cloth stretched over a single side, thin paste is put in to the opposite side and spread about until it is level. It is then suspended in order for it to let the liquid to leave it and the pulp to dry in to a paper sheet which will be able to be removed by stripping off.
There came a time when a talented developer realized that constructing a frame with ribs and placing a fine removable bamboo mat over this, would enable the paper-making process to be quickened incredibly. Rather than utilizing a single mould for every sheet of paper, consequently severely limiting the amount of sheets that may be produced at one time, a stack of sieved mache was able to be built up layer upon layer, with just a length of cotton thread between them in order to help with separation at a later time. The stack would then be pressed lightly, and each sheet of grume transferred to a dry place.