The Four Great Inventions（2）

四大发明（2）

It was generally believed that paper was first made by a man called Cai Lun in 105 during the Eastern Han Dynasty.

人们普遍认为公元105年东汉时期的蔡伦是第一个造纸的人，

However, in recent decades, earlier paper made during the Western Han Dynasty was unearthed in Xinjiang, Shanxi and Gansu.

但是，最近在新疆、山西和甘肃出土了西汉时期造的纸。

So it is reasonable to believe that paper was invented in the Western Han and was improved by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han.

因此，我们有理由认为西汉时期就发明了造纸术，而东汉的蔡伦改进了这一技术。

In later periods, different materials were used for making paper, and its quality became better and better.

后来，人们利用不同的材料造纸，纸质越来越好，

The famous Xuan paper, produced in Xuanzhou, Anhui Province, first appeared in the Tang Dynasty.

安徽宣州所产的著名的宣纸，最先出现于唐朝。

Its quality was so good that all calligraphers and painters liked to use it.

它的质量很好，因此，所有的书法家和画家都喜欢使用。

Even today it is still considered the best kind of paper for calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting.

直至今天，人们仍认为宣纸最适于书法和国画。

During the Song Dynasty， bamboo began to be used for making paper, and the output of bamboo paper increased rapidly.

宋朝吋期，开始用竹子造纸，竹纸的产量迅速提高。

In 751，during the reign of Tang Xuanzong, the Chinese technique of making paper was introduced to the Arab world, and from there to Europe in 1150.

751年，唐玄宗统治时期，造纸术传入阿拉伯，1150年又从阿拉伯传入欧洲。

In other words, Europe knew how to make paper about a thousand years late than China.

也就是说，欧洲比中国晚了1000多年才知道怎样造纸。