Cao yannongjing, a Chinese cultural relic expert, put forward that the Yuan Dynasty packaging paper unearthed in Yuanling, Hunan, may be the earliest paper packaging advertisement in the world.

In October 1985, archaeologists excavated a couple's Tomb of the Yuan Dynasty in Shuangqiao, Yuanling County, Hunan Province. Two pieces of wrapping paper were found in the burial objects of the female coffin. At the same time, a number of well preserved Yuan Dynasty costumes, silk fabrics, banknotes and gold and silver articles were unearthed. At present, two pieces of packaging paper are kept in Yuanling County Museum.

Research fellow Cao Yannong, executive director of the Chinese society of cultural relics, said that the packaging paper unearthed from the yuan tomb in Yuanling, which integrates packaging, advertising and trademarks, already has some of the main features of modern packaging advertising. What's more amazing is that the paper packaging advertisements can also be seen with the anti-counterfeiting mark. Based on this, he believes that this is the earliest paper packaging advertisement found in China, and it may also be the earliest paper packaging advertisement in the world.

It is reported that two pieces of wrapping paper of the same size are used for wrapping the same article. Judging from the creases of the paper and the red powder left on the paper, they are wrapped with paint. According to the textual research of the tomb inscription, the owner of the yuan tomb died in 1305. Cao Yannong further pointed out that the two pieces of wrapping paper were printed by a paint shop in Changsha City before 1306.

The rectangular shape of wrapping paper is 313.5cm long and 25.5cm wide, which is yellow and white. Inside the paper are engraved characters and red marks, indicating the detailed address of the shop, the variety, quality and characteristics of the goods sold. In the article, there is also a typical advertising language such as "please recognize the high sign at the head of the red letter door".

Cao Yannong believes that the paper packaging advertisements unearthed in Yuanling provide important material materials for the study of the development of China's commodity economy“ As early as the Yuan Dynasty, these two pieces of wrapping paper had assumed the responsibility of "silent salesmen", with the basic characteristics of modern advertising, such as explaining the performance of goods, identifying trademark patterns, promoting the name of the store, and stimulating the desire to buy.