When did paper books appear?

1. As early as the Shang Dynasty, there was the character "册" in the oracle bone inscriptions, symbolizing a bundle of janzes tied with two book ropes, while the character "典" in the gold inscriptions indicated that "册" was on several books. The origin of the system can be traced back to the Shang Dynasty, but the physical aspect has not yet been found. According to the excavation of archaeologists now, the earliest bamboo slips originated in the Western Zhou Dynasty, to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period was widely promoted, is the golden age of bamboo books. Until around the 4th century AD, due to the widespread use of paper, the briefs were finally replaced by paper books.

2. In fact, from the beginning of Cai Lun made high-quality paper, paper books began to appear, "After the Han Book - Cai Lun biography" said "since there is no one from the use of", but the use of the surface at that time is very small. In addition to people's customary forces, the limited production of paper, the quality is not high, is also an important reason. At that time, the price of paper is, after all, much cheaper than thick silk, the general middle and lower intellectuals, due to the inability to write on silk, more paper, while the upper class, or used to use better quality of silk.

Western Jin Dynasty (3rd century AD), Zuo Si wrote "three test" ten years into, "the rich and noble families, competing to write, Luoyang for the expensive paper. This is the famous story of "Luoyang Paper Expensive", which shows that in the 3rd century AD, paper was commonly used as a writing material. And the "noble house" also competed with paper, indicating that paper is no longer regarded as a low-level writing material, but a popular writing material.

Eastern Jin Yuanxingyuan year (A.D. 403 years), Huan Xuan, according to Jiankang (now Nanjing), he ordered: "Ancient no paper, so use Jane, not the main respect. Today, all those who use Jane, are replaced by yellow paper." This is the earliest record of a ruler's order to promote the use of paper instead of Jane, and it also plays a role in the popularization and application of paper.

With the increase in paper production, quality continues to improve, paper as a writing material, and gradually expand the scope of application, to the North and South Dynasties, the paper book has been popular throughout the country, bamboo and silk has been completely replaced by paper writing.