Paper
By Lei Tang
Paper, which is said to be originated back to 2nd century China, is one of the Four Great Inventions of China. The pulp papermaking processes is ascribed to Cai Lun, a court eunuch. With the development of papermaking technology, China has more silk to be exported overseas, which led to the Golden Age of China. Paper spread to to Islamic world and medieval Europe in the 13th century. It had not change so much in the following 600 years. In the 19th century, with the help of industrial revolution, papermaking greatly reduced its cost and became very popular in terms of exchanging information and shifting culture.
Souce:
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa_invention_paper02a.htm
Tom Standage's The Victorian Internet 