Cai Lun Memorial Hall

Cai Lun Memorial Hall

The Cai Lun Memorial Hall is located within the Caihou Temple in Leiyang City. The Caihou Temple was originally the residence of Cai Lun (63–121 AD), the Eastern Han Dynasty inventor of papermaking. Later generations built a temple on the site of his former home to commemorate him. The Commentary on the Water Classic records: “(The Lei River) flows northwest through Cai Islet, with Cai Lun’s former residence to the west of the islet, beside which lies Cai Pond.”

The year of the Caihou Temple’s initial construction is unknown. In 1338, during the Yuan Dynasty, Chen Zongyi, the prefect of Leiyang, renovated the temple. After several cycles of prosperity and decline, the existing structure was rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty, featuring an elegant and classic style. Covering an area of 408 square meters, the temple faces north and is built with brick and wood. It consists of three courtyards and two halls. The front hall has three single-slope bays with small blue-tiled roofs, corridors on both sides, and a central pathway covered by a roof that connects to the middle hall. The middle and rear halls each have three bays with hanging gable roofs, also connected by walkways and a central pathway. The main gate stone plaque reads “Caihou Temple,” and the stone couplet says: “The fragrant pool reflects the moon, the old residence preserves the spirit.”

According to the Book of the Later Han and extensive historical records, Cai Lun was born in 63 AD in Leiyang, Hunan. He held various official positions including Junior Eunuch, Chief Eunuch with the additional title of Director of the Imperial Workshops, and Minister of the Court of the Palace of Longevity. He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Longting. In 105 AD, he invented papermaking, producing the world’s first plant-fiber paper, which transformed human history by replacing bamboo slips and silk for recording text. For over a thousand years afterward, papermaking spread from East Asia to Europe, becoming one of the Four Great Inventions of China and making a tremendous contribution to the preservation of civilization. This not only led Chinese and even Eastern civilization to lead the world for over a millennium but also marked a milestone in human civilization.

Cai Lun

( —121)

A native of Leiyang County, Hunan, during the Eastern Han Dynasty. His courtesy name was Jingzhong, and his birth year is unknown. He entered the palace as a eunuch in the late reign of Emperor Ming, initially serving as a Junior Eunuch. During the reign of Emperor He, he became a Chief Eunuch and began participating in court affairs. He once served as the Director of the Imperial Workshops, overseeing the production of imperial utensils.

In earlier times, people wrote on silk cloth or bamboo and wooden slips. “Silk was expensive and slips were heavy, making them inconvenient for use.” By the Western Han Dynasty, a primitive form of paper had emerged. People washing silk floss often peeled off a layer on bamboo mats… Cai Lun – More Details ++