5. Cai Lun: The Man Who Invented Paper
Cai Lun served as a court eunuch in China’s Eastern Han dynasty from 50-121 CE. Though simple forms of paper existed earlier, Cai created the first standardized papermaking process in 105 CE. He mixed materials like bark, hemp, rags, and fishing nets to make a writing surface far cheaper than silk or bamboo, the previous writing materials. His name appears in official imperial histories, one of the few times a eunuch received formal credit for technological innovation in ancient China.
