信封的起源和發展歷程

起源

古代信封的形式：

信封的概念可以追溯到中國古代，當時人們使用鯉魚形狀的木盒作為信件的包裝，這種形式被認為是信封的早期版本。古詩中提到的「魚書」即是指這種用鯉魚形狀的木盒來寄送的信件。

尺牘的使用：

在古代中國，書信通常被稱為「尺牘」，因為當時的書信長度約為一尺，這也反映了信件的傳遞方式和形式。

發展歷程

信封的演變：

隨著時間的推移，信封的形式逐漸演變為用紙製作的信封。最早的紙信封出現在秦漢時期，當時人們將信件用紙包裹起來，並用繩子綁緊。

西方的引入：

在西方，信封的使用歷史相對較短，大約始於17世紀的法國和西班牙。1845年，德拉魯與「郵票之父」希爾的哥哥艾德溫聯合發明了一部機器，可以自動將紙裁剪和摺合成信封，這一創新大大提高了信封的生產效率。

現代信封

多樣化的信封：現代信封的種類繁多，包括普通信封、掛號信封、已印上郵票的預付信封等。隨著科技的進步，還出現了自動黏貼信封，使用時只需撕開封舌上的膠條。

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Origins and Development of Envelopes

Origins

Ancient Forms of Envelopes:The concept of an envelope can be traced back to ancient China, where people used wooden boxes shaped like carp to package letters. This form is considered an early version of the envelope. The term "fish letter" mentioned in ancient poetry refers to these wooden boxes used for sending messages.

Use of "Shidu":In ancient China, letters were commonly referred to as "shidu" (尺牘), as the length of the letters was typically about one foot. This also reflected the way letters were conveyed and their physical form.

Development

Evolution of Envelopes:Over time, the form of envelopes gradually evolved into paper envelopes. The earliest paper envelopes appeared during the Qin and Han dynasties, where letters were wrapped in paper and tied securely with string.

Introduction in the West:In the West, the history of envelope use is relatively short, beginning around the 17th century in France and Spain. In 1845, De La Rue partnered with Edwin Hill, known as the "father of the postage stamp," to invent a machine that could automatically cut and fold paper into envelopes. This innovation significantly increased the efficiency of envelope production.

Modern Envelopes

Diverse Types of Envelopes:Modern envelopes come in a wide variety of types, including standard envelopes, registered envelopes, and prepaid envelopes with printed stamps. With advancements in technology, self-adhesive envelopes have also emerged, requiring only the peeling off of the adhesive strip on the flap for use.