The history of true paper began in South East Asia. Similar to the people of Egypt, the Chinese had, nearly fifty centuries in the past, brought out a form of pictographic writing. They also had been making use of several types of things to write on, most usually lengths of bamboo and silk woven into a fine fabric and possibly the barkcloth they utilized for other purposes derived from the Paper. Mulberry was used as well.
Historical documentation points to the fact that in 105 years after the birth of Christ a government worker called Tsai Lung, invented usable paper, though it is clear from archaeological finds that it was in fact being used in China for at least two hundred years before Tsai Lung.
During ancient times scribing was usually on bamboo or sometimes on pieces of silk, which were known as Ji in those days. Nonetheless the cost of silk and bamboo being too heavy, these two materials were inconvenient. Then Tsai Lun came up with the idea of using tree bark, hemp, fish nets, and rags. In 105AD he delivered a report to the emperor regarding the process of paper making and got high accolade for his creativity. Since that time paper has been utilized universally and is known as the "paper of Marquis Tsai".
If the above historical tag is deserved or not, will likely not ever be known! Nevertheless the most important consideration is that it was discovered that they could grind certain substances derived from plant matter in to a paste, bstract spume, place the paste in liquid, filter it onto cloth sheets and give it time to dry out. After drying, it caked into a firm, dense sheet that was exceedingly light, and as long as it was not allowed to come into contact with water, proved really tenacious.
This most simple of papermaking techniques is even now still being used in precisely the same way in and around Nepal and Tibet, the very first countries to make use of the technolgies from what is now the People's Republic of China. A basic frame makes use of a cloth made from cotton pulled and held over one side, diluted mash is situated into the far end and moved around until it is level. It is then left so that it will enable the water to leave it and the mache to dry in to a sheet of paper which can be removed.
Eventually an extremely clever individual came to the conclusion that making a frame with ribbing and putting in place a delicate bamboo mat that is replaceable across it, would allow the paper-making procedure to be accelerated fantastically. Rather than utilizing a single mould for each parchment sheet, consequently severely limiting the amount of sheets that could be made at the same time, a stack of sieved mush could be built up layer upon layer, with just a strip of cotton thread between them in order to enable later separation. The stack would then be pressed very slightly, and every layer of grume transferred to a dry board.