Tang Dynasty: Saving Lives and Helping Others, Li Lizhi Falls for Him

In the afternoon, Shen Chang'an led Li Lizhi to a large wooden tub in the courtyard. Inside were tattered burlap, tree bark, and old fishing nets soaking in the murky lime water, which emitted a faint alkaline smell.

"The first step in papermaking is composting. Broken burlap, tree bark, and old fishing nets are cut into small pieces and soaked in lime water for about ten days to loosen and decompose the fibers."

Shen Chang'an fished a piece of tattered burlap from the bucket, crushed it with his hand, and the fibers immediately scattered. "Princess, please look, it's almost fully soaked."

Li Lizhi reached out and pinched it, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't seem to mind.

The next step is to mash the mixture into a paste.

Shen Chang'an put the fermented raw materials into a stone mortar and pounded them with a wooden mallet.

After mashing, water is added and mixed well. The pulp in the wooden bucket is grayish-white and of moderate consistency.

"Princess, please take note: the consistency of the pulp is very important. If it's too thin, you won't be able to make paper; if it's too thick, the paper will be too thick."

The third step is to make paper.

Shen Chang'an picked up a bamboo screen, held both ends with his hands, gently dipped it into the pulp, and began to scoop it up evenly.

A thin layer of pulp adheres to the bamboo curtain, the fibers intertwined, and water droplets drip from the seams of the curtain.

"Paper making is the most crucial step in papermaking. The angle, speed, and depth at which the pulp is fed through the screen all affect the thickness and uniformity of the paper. The pulp must be fed in evenly, and the screen must be lifted steadily."

He placed the bamboo curtain on a wooden board, gently lifted it, and a wet piece of paper remained on the board.

The fourth step is pressing.

Shen Chang'an stacked the wooden planks and placed a large stone on top of them.

"The pressing process is to remove moisture and make the paper more compact."

Li Lizhi recorded it stroke by stroke.

Fifth step, let it air dry.

"After pressing, the paper is pasted onto a smooth board to dry, and then peeled off to become finished paper."

Shen Chang'an led her to the courtyard wall and pointed to several wet papers pasted there.

The paper was half-dry, whitish in color, and the edges were slightly dry. .

"Princess, feel it."

Li Lizhi reached out and gently touched the paper. The surface was smooth, not as delicate as Xuan paper, but much better than ordinary hemp paper.

"Mr. Shen, what is the cost of this paper...?"

"The raw materials are tattered burlap, tree bark, and old fishing nets, which are free. Lime water is also cheap, and the only cost is labor. All in all, it's less than one-tenth the price of Xuan paper."

Li Lizhi took a deep breath; she knew what this meant.

"Princess, that's all for today. Go back and organize your notes on movable type printing and papermaking, then present them to His Majesty. We'll continue tomorrow."

Li Lizhi took her leave and the carriage drove away.

Shen Chang'an stood at the courtyard gate for a moment, watching them go, then turned and returned to the pavilion.

On the table were the typefaces and printed poems. He picked up a printed piece of paper, looked at it, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Movable type printing was successfully completed.

Papermaking will be here soon too.

When these two things were handed over to Li Shimin, the culture and education of the Tang Dynasty would be completely transformed.

……

Li Lizhi returned to the palace and went straight to Ganlu Hall without even changing her clothes.

Li Shimin was having dinner when he saw her arrive. He put down his chopsticks and asked with a smile, "Lizhi, what did you learn today?"

Li Lizhi spread out the notes she had taken that day on the imperial desk, and also presented the two poems printed by Shen Chang'an.

"Father, please look, this is what Mr. Shen printed today using movable type printing."

Li Shimin took the two papers and his gaze fell on them.

The characters are clear and the ink is even, just like those in books printed by woodblock printing.

From typesetting to printing, it only took the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Prefer historical novels? Click here>

Li Lizhi explained to Li Shimin, point by point, the principles and advantages of movable type printing as described by Shen Chang'an.

How to make type molds from clay, carve reversed characters, and harden them by firing; type molds can be arranged and combined freely during typesetting; after printing, they can be disassembled and reused repeatedly; if a character is mistyped, only one type mold needs to be replaced, without having to recarve the entire plate; printing a book by woodblock requires carving dozens or even hundreds of blocks, while movable type only requires one set of type molds.

Li Shimin's eyes grew brighter as he listened.

"Lizhi, have you remembered everything Mr. Shen said?"

Not a single word was missed.

"And papermaking?"

Li Lizhi also reported the papermaking process and costs.

After listening, Li Shimin remained silent for a long time.

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at Chang'an City in the night.

"Lizhi, go back and tell Mr. Shen that I will send someone to test his method. If it succeeds, I will grant him a title. He can choose his own fief and estate."

……

The next morning, just as Shen Chang'an sat down at his free clinic stall, a familiar carriage drove up on the official road in the distance.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Li Shimin strode down, followed by Li Lizhi.

"Mr. Shen, I've come to bother you," Li Shimin said with a smile and cupped his hands.

Shen Chang'an stood up to return the greeting, glanced at the people queuing up, and said without any formalities, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I will return to the hospital after the free clinic."

"No rush, no rush, I can wait."

Li Shimin waved his hand and stood aside, watching Shen Chang'an examine the patient with his hands behind his back, actually waiting.

The surrounding people recognized the emperor and wanted to kneel, but Li Shimin raised his hand to stop them.

Just after 9:00 AM, the last patient passed away.

Shen Chang'an packed his medicine box and bowed to Li Shimin, saying, "Your Majesty, I've kept you waiting."

"It's alright. Come on, let's go to your yard."

The three of them sat down in the pavilion. Cui Zhu brewed tea and then stepped back to a distance. Li Lizhi took out her notes from the past few days from her sleeve and spread them out on the stone table.

Shen Chang'an did not rush to speak, but looked at Li Shimin and said calmly, "Your Majesty's personal visit is an honor for me."

Li Shimin waved his hand, "I have read every single one of your notes on movable type printing and improved papermaking. I have come here in person today to hear you explain it clearly to me."

"What does Your Majesty wish to ask?"

Why is movable type printing better than woodblock printing?

Shen Chang'an smiled slightly and picked up a few letter molds from the table.

"In woodblock printing, if a single character is engraved incorrectly, the entire block is ruined. In movable type printing, if a single character is misplaced, only the type mold needs to be replaced."

He took one typeface out of the iron frame and put another one in.

"Woodblock printing cannot be used for typesetting or arbitrarily arranged in order. Movable type printing, on the other hand, allows for the arbitrary arrangement and combination of typefaces, so you can print whatever text you want."

He took all the typefaces out of the iron frame, rearranged them, and wrote a short poem.

"Once a woodblock is used to print a book, the block is ruined. With movable type printing, the type can be reused repeatedly; after printing, it can be disassembled and used to print other books."

He handed the printed poem to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin took the paper and looked at the clear handwriting on it.

"Your Majesty, in terms of printing speed, cost, and flexibility—all three combined—movable type printing far surpasses woodblock printing."

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Mr. Shen, I understand."

He had already heard his daughter's message, but he still needed to confirm this important matter himself.

According to what Shen Chang'an just said, if the techniques of papermaking and printing are passed down, the predicament he faces will change considerably.

Li Er then personally informed Shen Chang'an of the whereabouts of the Japanese.

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"Mr. Shen, there's no need to be modest."

Li Shimin waved his hand, "I have read every single one of your notes on movable type printing and improved papermaking. I have come here in person today to hear you explain it clearly to me."

"What does Your Majesty wish to ask?"

Why is movable type printing better than woodblock printing?

Shen Chang'an smiled slightly and picked up a few letter molds from the table.

"In woodblock printing, if a single character is engraved incorrectly, the entire block is ruined. In movable type printing, if a single character is misplaced, only the type mold needs to be replaced."

He took one typeface out of the iron frame and put another one in.

"Woodblock printing cannot be used for typesetting or arbitrarily arranged in order. Movable type printing, on the other hand, allows for the arbitrary arrangement and combination of typefaces, so you can print whatever text you want."

He took all the typefaces out of the iron frame, rearranged them, and wrote a short poem.

"Once a woodblock is used to print a book, the block is ruined. With movable type printing, the type can be reused repeatedly; after printing, it can be disassembled and used to print other books."

He handed the printed poem to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin took the paper and looked at the clear handwriting on it.

"Your Majesty, in terms of printing speed, cost, and flexibility—all three combined—movable type printing far surpasses woodblock printing."

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Mr. Shen, I understand."

He had already heard his daughter's message, but he still needed to confirm this important matter himself.

According to what Shen Chang'an just said, if the techniques of papermaking and printing are passed down, the predicament he faces will change considerably.

Li Er then personally informed Shen Chang'an of the whereabouts of the Japanese.

Li Shimin waved his hand, "I have read every single one of your notes on movable type printing and improved papermaking. I have come here in person today to hear you explain it clearly to me."

"What does Your Majesty wish to ask?"

Why is movable type printing better than woodblock printing?

Shen Chang'an smiled slightly and picked up a few letter molds from the table.

"In woodblock printing, if a single character is engraved incorrectly, the entire block is ruined. In movable type printing, if a single character is misplaced, only the type mold needs to be replaced."

He took one typeface out of the iron frame and put another one in.

"Woodblock printing cannot be used for typesetting or arbitrarily arranged in order. Movable type printing, on the other hand, allows for the arbitrary arrangement and combination of typefaces, so you can print whatever text you want."

He took all the typefaces out of the iron frame, rearranged them, and wrote a short poem.

"Once a woodblock is used to print a book, the block is ruined. With movable type printing, the type can be reused repeatedly; after printing, it can be disassembled and used to print other books."

He handed the printed poem to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin took the paper and looked at the clear handwriting on it.

"Your Majesty, in terms of printing speed, cost, and flexibility—all three combined—movable type printing far surpasses woodblock printing."

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Mr. Shen, I understand."

He had already heard his daughter's message, but he still needed to confirm this important matter himself.

According to what Shen Chang'an just said, if the techniques of papermaking and printing are passed down, the predicament he faces will change considerably.

Li Er then personally informed Shen Chang'an of the whereabouts of the Japanese.

"Mr. Shen, there's no need to be modest."

Li Shimin waved his hand, "I have read every single one of your notes on movable type printing and improved papermaking. I have come here in person today to hear you explain it clearly to me."

"What does Your Majesty wish to ask?"

Why is movable type printing better than woodblock printing?

Shen Chang'an smiled slightly and picked up a few letter molds from the table.

"In woodblock printing, if a single character is engraved incorrectly, the entire block is ruined. In movable type printing, if a single character is misplaced, only the type mold needs to be replaced."

He took one typeface out of the iron frame and put another one in.

"Woodblock printing cannot be used for typesetting or arbitrarily arranged in order. Movable type printing, on the other hand, allows for the arbitrary arrangement and combination of typefaces, so you can print whatever text you want."

He took all the typefaces out of the iron frame, rearranged them, and wrote a short poem.

"Once a woodblock is used to print a book, the block is ruined. With movable type printing, the type can be reused repeatedly; after printing, it can be disassembled and used to print other books."

He handed the printed poem to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin took the paper and looked at the clear handwriting on it.

"Your Majesty, in terms of printing speed, cost, and flexibility—all three combined—movable type printing far surpasses woodblock printing."

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Mr. Shen, I understand."

He had already heard his daughter's message, but he still needed to confirm this important matter himself.

According to what Shen Chang'an just said, if the techniques of papermaking and printing are passed down, the predicament he faces will change considerably.

Li Er then personally informed Shen Chang'an of the whereabouts of the Japanese.