Cai Lun is famous for his "improved papermaking" in ancient and modern times, and is favored by the world. In addition, from the historical value, Cai Lun's own value, in fact, Cai Lun not only made outstanding contributions to the improvement of papermaking, but also played a blowout role in the development of handicrafts in the Eastern Han Dynasty because of Cai Lun's love for scientific inventions when he was a secretary.
Mao Cui, a scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty, wrote in "On Politics": "The crossbow of Cai Taifu, the sword of nine years of massage, is famous all over the world."
When we get to know Cai Lun again, don't just be blinded by his celebrity effect. Cai Lun's achievements in improving papermaking and promoting the development of handicraft industry in the Eastern Han Dynasty deserve respect from future generations. However, in order to have a correct understanding of Cai Lun, we should still hold an objective and fair attitude and analyze it from point to area.
1. Cai Lun was born in poverty and Cai Lun was born in poverty. My younger brother was born in poverty and worked conscientiously with his father in the countryside in the early stage. Because of his cleverness and love for scientific inventions, he is often praised by fellow villagers. But because of poverty, Cai Lun's father gave up the idea of sending Cai Lun to school. Therefore, it is only a dream for Cai Lun to choose an official through various examinations in his life. For Cai Lun, it's a long way to go.
In 56 AD, Liu Xu, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, ascended the throne. Because the number of eunuchs in the harem is often in short supply, Zhang Han often sends officials to various counties to select young boys for the palace. In 75 AD, Cai Lun, who was only 15 years old, was selected as an exception in the process of "folk child selection", and was later taken into Luoyang Palace, the eastern capital. For Cai Lun, being elected to the palace and even becoming a eunuch is a great honor. Sure enough, Cai Lun rose step by step in the later life track for various reasons, and finally became an official to Jiuqing. But what we should pay attention to is, by what means can such a eunuch successfully ascend to heaven?
2. Cai Lun improves papermaking (1). Why do you want to climb Dou Taihou and get rid of Song Guiren?
In 76 AD, in just one year, Cai Lun was promoted from a little eunuch to a "Little Yellow Gate". Although this little yellow door didn't play an important role in the eunuch system in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cai Lun's promotion time was a little faster. Subsequently, Cai Lun was appreciated by Dou Taihou because of her interpersonal skills, and was soon promoted to assistant minister of Huangmen. As the saying goes, Cai Lun, assistant minister of Huangmen, made good use of his power and approached Dou Taihou, who had no children. After successfully approaching Dou Taihou, the other side of Cai Lun's history was quickly revealed.
(1) Cai Lun was instructed by Dou Taihou to frame the Song nobles as "witchcraft" (similar to "witchcraft" in the period of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty). How could the emperor Zhang Han tolerate such bad behavior in the harem, so the Song nobles were soon ordered to commit suicide. After Song Guiren committed suicide, Liu Yuxin Qing was demoted as the King of Qinghe by his mother.
(2) Cai Lun was ordered by Dou Taihou to send someone to privately frame Liang Guiren for "flying books". After the successful frame-up, Cai Lun helped Dou Taihou to snatch the custody of Liu Zhao, the son of Liang Guiren. Dou Taihou repeatedly suggested that Liu Zhao should be re-established as the Prince, replacing the position of Qing Liu, the king of Qinghe.
(2) Behind the improvement of papermaking: Cai Lun's interests.
I have to say that Cai Lun's improvement of papermaking has really benefited pride of chinese and the world. But in fact, we should know why Cai Lun's original intention was to improve papermaking. He made full use of this pioneering work and won the appreciation and trust of the new owner.
After the death of Emperor Gaozu Zhang, Dou Taihou naturally pushed Emperor Gaozu to the throne, and he himself got his wish to sit in the position of resignation. Cai Lun, by contrast, naturally got many benefits, and was promoted to ordinary waiter directly from Huangmen Assistant. After Dou Taihou's death, Cai Lun turned to Queen Deng of Deng Sui to protect herself. Because Queen Deng always likes painting flowers, birds, insects and fish, and dancing and writing, Cai Lun, who is also the secretary-general, took a fancy to it and chose the huge project of "improving papermaking". Have to say, Cai Lun this choice is the most wise. On Cai Lun, he won the favor and trust of Deng Hou; In the Eastern Han Dynasty, it won the development of the country. Enlarge Cai Lun's move to improve papermaking, and pay attention to Cai Lun's original intention. He wants to get close to Queen Deng, cling to the imperial power and win a place for himself.
(3) a loss, the result is sad.
Heaven's reincarnation, karma, who is spared by heaven? In A.D. 12 1 year, Empress Dowager Deng died. At this time, the reigning emperor was Emperor Liu of Han 'an, and his other position directly threatened Cai Lun, then assistant minister of Changle. Han Andi's grandmother died of suicide, and his father was exiled King Qinghe. Without the restraint of the assistant government of Queen Deng, Andy can easily let go of Cai Lun, an accomplice who persecuted his grandmother and father. In the same year, Andy fell to Cai Lun, and Cai Lun committed suicide by taking poison.
3. The controversial history books about papermaking have a brief record of Cai Lun's papermaking, saying that he "made it" and "used bark, hemp head, our cloth and fishing nets as paper". As a great invention, the selection of materials and the improvement of technology need a lot of time and energy, and the process is bound to be difficult and tortuous, and the technical problems involved are also very complicated. In modern times, it is no problem to write dozens of papers and books, but historians are very stingy and can explain them all in less than 20 words. However, although this record is short, it is very accurate. It is a foregone conclusion that the inventor of paper is Cai Lun. But in recent years, quite a few people have raised objections.
People think that paper was invented by Cai Lun mainly according to the records in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty. Most of the original historical materials of the Book of the Later Han Dynasty come from the official history book of the Eastern Han Dynasty, History of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The History of the East View of Han Dynasty is a national history written by Serina Liu, Ban Gu and others during the reign of Emperor Liu Zhuang (58-75 AD). The Biography of Cai Lun was later written by Cui Ya, Cao Shou and Yan Dou at the behest of the Eastern Han Emperor in 15 1 year. At this time, it was only 30 years since Cai Lun died. The author and Cai Lun are contemporaries, so some scholars believe that the content described in "East View of Han Ji" should be true and credible.
Some people think that if we want to check the original text of Biography of Cai Lun, we must look for clues directly from the ancient books of Sui and Tang Dynasties, not from the books copied from Ming and Qing Dynasties. Because the "East View of the Han Dynasty" at that time was originally close to the Han Dynasty. If we compare the characters in the Biography of Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty with those quoted in Beitang Shuchao in the Sui Dynasty, Yiwen Lei Ju in the Tang Dynasty and Elementary Book, it is indeed different in content and formulation. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the original text of Biography of Cai Lun cited by scholars was concise, while Biography of Cai Lun written by Ye Fan was more detailed. The former does not have the word "intention", while the latter has the word "intention". On this basis, some scholars believe that Ye Fan's Biography of Cai Lun in the Later Han Dynasty may be distorted, even suspected of being partially fictional or fabricated.
After the Tang Dynasty, many people opposed Cai Lun's invention of papermaking. In the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Huaiguan wrote in the book "Broken": "Han Xing, there is paper to replace simplicity, and on peace, Cai Lungong walks." It means that as early as the early Han Dynasty, paper has gradually replaced bamboo slips as writing materials. During the Eastern Han Dynasty and the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (A.D. 105), Cai Lun led the craftsmen of the royal workshop to improve and improve the papermaking technology. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Chen Zu said in "Negative Xuanye Record", "Cover the paper, and the old also has it. Special Cai Lun is good at doing things, not making things. " In the Southern Song Dynasty, Shi Shengzu thought that "pen and paper did not start in Cai Lun and Meng Tian, … but the fine works made by Meng and Cai did exist in previous lives, so it is needless to say that pen and paper started in these two people."
However, many people insist that the records in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty are accurate, and the statement that Cai Lun's biography is not credible in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty lacks in-depth textual research. Those who hold this view think that Cai Lun's biography is roughly the same in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty and the History of the Eastern Han Dynasty after searching the original text compiled by the Siku Quanshu in Yongle Dadian. The word "creation" in the record means invention and creation. Moreover, Cai Lun was once regarded as a sinner, and his reputation was restored after 30 years of wrongful death. Who dares to talk to him rashly? Not to mention exaggerating his praise. Therefore, based on the earliest historical records of Cai Lun's papermaking, it is not too much to say that he is the inventor of China's papermaking.
1986 A piece of paper was unearthed from a Han tomb in Fangmatan, Tianshui, Gansu. This kind of paper is thin and soft, and the paper surface is flat and smooth. It depicts mountains, rivers and roads with ink. According to research, this paper was made of hemp in the early Western Han Dynasty, and it is also the earliest known paper in the world. According to the archaeological discoveries since the 20th century, The Archaeological Volume of China in Qin and Han Dynasties was published in July 20 10, and it was pointed out that "as early as the Western Han Dynasty, before Cai Lun, China had already made bast fiber paper. With the continuous advancement of archaeological work along the Northwest Silk Road, ancient paper made in different periods of the Western Han Dynasty was found in many sites and tombs of the Western Han Dynasty in Shaanxi, Gansu and Xinjiang, which triggered a great discussion on the origin of papermaking.