Inventions

   Paper was first created in 105 AD. The discovery of the paper-making process is attributed to a scholar by the name of Ts'ai Lun, working for the emperor Ho Ti.

   Paper was first made from the hemp plant and later from the inne bark of the mulberry tree. Eventually, it was discovered that old rags, rope, and nets could be fashioned into crude paper.

   This paper, however, was too coarse for writing. It was used mainly for the purpose of wrapping and packaging goods. It was sometimes even used for clothing.

   Also during the Han dynasty porcelain came into existence. Porcelain is a hard, translucent, white substance used to make vessels. It is the hardest ceramic product and is used in the production of vases, figurines, tableware, and other decorative objects.

   The process followed to make porcelain involves a mixture of kaolin and petuntse. Kaolin is a pure white clay that forms when the mineral feldspar breaks down. Petuntse is a type of feldspar that is native to only China. The petuntse is ground to a fine powder and mixed with the kaolin. This mixture is fired; the petuntse melts and forms a gas, but the kaolin is very heat resistant and holds its shape. The process is complete upon the fusing of the petuntse to the kaolin.