During the Han dynasty, a key advance was made in art—the invention of paper. Paper was the ideal material for calligraphy, which is the art of fine handwriting. Calligraphy was important in Chinese culture. It was a style of writing especially valued for its natural flow, as if inspired by nature.
Chinese scribes used some of the same tools and techniques as painters did. They wrote their characters by painting them with a brush and ink. Characters were created by one or more strokes, drawn quickly in a particular order. The ideal stroke created both delicate and bold lines. Paper was perfect for this art because of the way it absorbed the ink.
Before the invention of paper, the Chinese wrote on silk. Silk could easily be rolled into scrolls, but it was very costly. People also wrote symbols vertically on bamboo strips. To make books, they tied a series of strips together in a bundle. Bamboo was less expensive than silk, but it was bulky and awkward to use.
The invention of paper, in about the first century C.E., not only benefited calligraphers but also changed the way people communicated. It was cheaper to produce paper than bamboo or silk, so more people could now afford writing materials. Paper was also easier to bind together into books.
Chinese scribes used some of the same tools and techniques as painters did. They wrote their characters by painting them with a brush and ink. Characters were created by one or more strokes, drawn quickly in a particular order. The ideal stroke created both delicate and bold lines. Paper was perfect for this art because of the way it absorbed the ink.
Before the invention of paper, the Chinese wrote on silk. Silk could easily be rolled into scrolls, but it was very costly. People also wrote symbols vertically on bamboo strips. To make books, they tied a series of strips together in a bundle. Bamboo was less expensive than silk, but it was bulky and awkward to use.
The invention of paper, in about the first century C.E., not only benefited calligraphers but also changed the way people communicated. It was cheaper to produce paper than bamboo or silk, so more people could now afford writing materials. Paper was also easier to bind together into books.