Woodblock printing

Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text or images used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China sometime between the mid-6th and late 9th centuries. Japanese woodblock prints are known as ukiyo-e.

The world's first printed book

The world's earliest dated printed book, a Chinese Diamond Sutra text of 868 A.D., was created with woodblocks and displays such a maturity of design and layout that it is probable woodblock printing had already matured a great deal by that time. Indeed, the development of woodblock printing around this time may have had more to do with the availability of paper and the missionary zeal of Buddhism (the spread of charms and sutras was strongly encouraged) than with any "invention" of woodblock printing, which already had ample precedents in Chinese rubbings and seals.

Related Topics:
Diamond Sutra - 868 A.D. - Buddhism

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