The story of true paper started in what is now the People's Republic of China. Like the people of Egypt, the Chinese had, almost 5000 years ago, brought out a style of writing that used images. They too had been utilizing many different kinds of objects to write on, most notably strips 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 as well.
Historical documentation points to the fact that in 105AD a government worker by the name of Tsai Lung, developed papyrus, though it appears from archaeological discoveries that it was actually being used in China for probably two hundred years prior to Tsai Lung.
Back in ancient times setting down words or pictograms was mainly on some derivative of bamboo or sometimes on pieces of silk, which were then called ji. Nonetheless the great price of silk and bamboo being too weighty, these two materials were not convenient. About this time Tsai Lun thought of using bark from trees, hemp, rags, and fish nets. In 105 years after the birth of Christ he put an idea to the emperor about the process of paper making and got many accolades for his abilities. From those distant times paper has been availed of in almost every place on earth and is called the "paper of Marquis Tsai".
If the above title is deserved, will probably never be uncovered! Nevertheless the major consideration is that it was found that they could pound certain compounds derived from plants into a paste, expunge unwanted substances, place the paste in liquid, filter it onto fabric sheets and allow it to dry. After the drying process was complete, it compacted into a firm, robust sheet that was exceedingly light, and providing it did not get damp or wet, turned out to be extraordinarily durable.
It's a fact that this extremely simple of papermaking technologies is still in use in exactly a similar way in and around Nepal and Tibet, the initial regions to make use of the craft from South East Asia. A basic frame has a cloth made from cotton stretched over a single side, watery mush is emptied in to the far side and spread about until it is level. It is then left suspended in order for it to enable the water to leave it and the mache to dry into a paper sheet which may be removed.
There came a time when a talented developer figured that building a frame with an arrangement of ribbing and placing a delicate bamboo mat that is replaceable across it, would allow the process to be accelerated to a great degree. Rather than utilizing a single mold for every parchment sheet, therefore severely restricting the amount of sheets that are able to be made at one time, a stack of sieved grume could be built up a layer at a time, with only a strip of cotton thread between them which would enable later separation. The stack would then be pressed gently, and each layer of pulp moved to a place to dry.