Cai Lun
Awards & Honours
0
Awards Won
2
Honours
2
Rankings
1
Covers
1
Records
Cai Lun's papermaking innovation is recognized as one of China's Four Great Inventions. He is venerated in Chinese folk religion as the patron deity of papermakers, with temples dedicated to him in papermaking regions. UNESCO recognizes his contribution as part of world heritage in the history of technology. In TIME Magazine's 1999 list of the 100 Most Influential People of the Millennium, Cai Lun ranked 7th, ahead of Johannes Gutenberg. Michael H. Hart's book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History also ranks him 7th, the highest-ranked Chinese figure.
Honours & Distinctions
Marquis of Longting
Imperial title with a fiefdom of 300 households.
God of Papermaking
Venerated as patron deity of papermakers; temples exist in his hometown Leiyang.
Rankings & Lists
The 100 Most Influential People of the Millennium
The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History
Magazine Covers
TIME
1999-03-29
The Most Important People of the Millennium
Records & Feats
One of the Four Great Inventions of China
Papermaking is traditionally listed alongside the compass, gunpowder, and printing as China's greatest technological contributions.