The 6,000 years of human civilization history can be divided into three eras, each with its own obvious technical symbol.

Egyptian civilization was the peak of the first era, with the invention of iron, which caused a phasing-out of expensive bronze productions, as the symbol.

During that time, agricultural productivity was greatly promoted by the great use of iron. At the same time, iron weapons also played important roles in the military domain, which greatly improved soldiers' ability in attacking and defending.

The technical symbol and propelling force in the second and third eras was papermaking and printing , both which originated in China.

Paper was invented in China's Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). Before then, China's 2,000-years civilization could not compare with Mesopotamian civilization in West Asia and the ancient Egyptian civilization along the Nile in North Africa. However, after the invention of paper, China rapidly became the center of civilization as well as the main contributor of culture and technology to the world.

The appearance of Jiagu Wen (oracular inscriptions on tortoise shells and bones) ended the history of people keeping records by tying knots. This was the first time people could record history and thought by writing. However, because of the limitation of tools, such initial records could not last.

Papermaking changed human history. Even earlier than Cai Lun's (a eunuch in Han Dynasty , who is conventionally regarded as the inventor of paper) time, paper's prototype had appeared in China. The appearance of paper created a huge cultural influence, and enabled a big cultural development during the Wei (220-265) and Jin (265-420) dynasties.

Since then, intellectuals began to pursue a spiritual culture: they started to appraise moral quality and the tests of artistic interest, while intensively yearning for cultural creation.

The invention and dissemination of papermaking promoted the passing on of culture from one generation to another and the exchanges of thoughts and ideas, hence impelling the civilized development.

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