Paper is one of four inventions in ancient China, once has established the outstanding meritorious service for the historical in cultural dissemination. Even if is in vogue in the machine-made paper today, certain traditional hands made paper still are manifesting the function which it cannot be substituted, is glowing the brilliance which is in sole possession of. The ancient paper in hands down down in the ancient calligraphy and painting still could as soon as peep its appearance.

Before in paper invention very long period of time, what are the people use to take the record material? According to the literature and in kind material, the earliest people are, encounters a difficulty hits a knot which uses ties a knot records events, . Afterwards engraved the refined language on the carapace animal bones, so-called "inscription on animal bones and tortoise shells". Produces after the bronze, also casts on the bronzeware engraves the inscription righteousness, namely "bronze inscription" or "Zhongding inscription ". After again, writes the character in uses on the bamboo, whittled the wood into piece, is called "the bamboo ", if the more generous bamboo wood chip is called "the slip of wood". At the same time, some also writes to the silk-weaving product dislikes on the silks. Before pre-qin, records events the material besides the above, but also had discovered engraves in the stone the writing, for instance famous "stone drum inscriptions".

The common people all know, the paper is invents in the Eastern Han Dynasty by Cai Lun. But the recent years archaeology excavated, actually regarding this proposed the question. Along with northwest Silk Road along the route archaeology work progress, many Western Han Dynasty ruins and the grave were discovered that, does not lack the paper the relic. These right papers according to its unearthed place by crown.

Present,According to the Old-paper own chronological order, may distinguish the arrangement is: The Western Han Dynasty early time grazes a horse the beach paper, the Western Han Dynasty intermediate stage Baqiao paper, Xuanquan paper, the horse stable bay paper, occupies extends the paper, the Western Han Dynasty later period Dried-beach paper. These papers not only all are earlier than CaiLun paper, moreover on some papers also has the ink marks typeface, explained already uses in copy clerk's writing.