Cai Lun, formerly romanized as Ts'ai Lun, was a Chinese eunuch court official of the Eastern Han dynasty. He occupies a pivotal place in the history of paper due to his addition of pulp via tree bark and hemp ends which resulted in the large-scale manufacture and worldwide spread of paper. Although traditionally regarded as the inventor of paper, earlier forms of paper have existed since the 3rd century BCE, so Cai's contributions are limited to innovation, rather than invention.
Qing-era print depicting Cai as the patron of papermaking, 18th century
Posthumous depiction of Emperor Zhang from the Sancai Tuhui, whom Cai served under for 13 years as a Xiao Huangmen
The Three Gods of Paper-making, Cai Lun (in the middle) with the Korean monk Damjing (on the left), who brought the art to Japan, and Mochizuki Seibei (who brought the art to Nishijima (西嶋)). Kept in the Minobu Town Museum of History and Folklore.
Cai Lun's traditional tomb, Longting [zh], Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province.
A eunuch is a man who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. In China, castration included removal of the penis as well as the testicles. Both organs were cut off with a knife at the same time.
A group of eunuchs in a mural from the tomb of the prince Zhanghuai, 706 AD
A Chinese eunuch boy in 1901 during the Qing dynasty with all his genitals removed.
Han bannerwoman Yu Roung Ling
Empress Longyu with a eunuch on the right behind her and a palace maid on the left behind her