Cai Lun (蔡倫) aka Cai Jing Zhong (蔡敬仲), born in Eastern Han Dynasty 東漢 (AD63), hometown in Hu Nan Province (湖南省).
AD 74 – 75, Emperor Han Ming Di period (漢明帝永平末年), Cai Lun was being sent into the Imperial Palace to serve the Emperor, due to his father Cai Yu Ting (蔡雨亭) was being accused for rebellious, Cai Lun was being castrated to become an eunuch (宮刑), at that time, he was only 12 years old.
AD 89, Emperor Han Zhang Di (漢章帝) passed away, the 1st Prince took over the throne to become Emperor Han He Di (漢和帝). After Emperor Han He Di took over the throne, Cai Lun was being appointed by the Emperor to be one of the Officers that take charge on the planning of Military issues.
Due to his contributions on strategies on how to Military planning, he was soon being promoted again as one of a high rank Imperial Officers.
After he got his promotion, Cai Lun started to do researches on items that were being used in the Imperial Court (objective, to upgrade to a better life, etc).
Soon, he touched on skills on how to create paper from different types of material. After several trials and failures, in AD 105, the best quality paper was being invented. From then, he pass-round the skills to the folks and this was how paper was being widely used among the commoners.
AD 114, Cai Lun was being promoted to Duke, known as Long Ting Hou (龍亭侯) or Duke Long Ting. From then, folks called paper as Cai Hou Zhi (蔡侯紙) aka Paper of Duke Cai in-order to remember his contribution in invented paper.
AD 121, Cai Lun was being accused to be involved in an Imperial Court internal conflict (宮廷內爭), soon he was being sentenced to death. Upon knowing the news, Cai Lun killed himself by swallowing poison-pills. At the time, he was only 58 years old (享年58歲).
From then, folks respected him as a Deity of Paper (造紙之神). In China, you are able to find Temples dedicated to him.
I wonder what the trees behind him are thinking? Something like "careful the enemy is at hand" .
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha... maybe :P
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, in the modern world now, we can use recycle paper to make paper, so the trees can live happily.. wahahaha
Wow! really need to thank him for the paper inventions....w/o that...do not know how we can get-on in our daily lives.......
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha... without him, maybe we are still writing on silks, cloth or carving on bamboos :P
ReplyDeleteShi Fu....didn't see his Bao Gao...does it mean that he is not a full Deity???..
ReplyDeleteHahahaha.. due to his physical status (he's not a fully man), no one will pay attention to him.
ReplyDeleteUnless special issue happened, then maybe a Bao Gao will appeared for him :P
PS: Another reason for Deities without any Bao Gao is that, there's no Ritual/Ceremony being fixed or dedicated to them. Once a Deity does not have a Ritual/Ceremony, no invitation is needed, while no invitation is needed, no Bao Gao will be created for them.