Printing in the Ming Dynasty
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The Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D. --- 1644 A.D.) is the prosperous
period in the history of printing in China.
First : all the inventions of previous dynasties --- woodblock carving, wood
movable type, metal movable type, whole metal plates, and techniques of multi colour
printing --- were all used in the Ming Dynasty.
Secondly : paper, ink and woodblock carving techniques reached an
unprecedented standard.
Third : the scope, variety and volume of printing reached the
highest level in history. Besides printing traditional books, such as the classics,
history, philosophy and belle-lettres in large quantities, the gazetteers, books on
science and technology, books on craftsmanship, popular readers, primers, plays, and
novels were also printed in great quantities.
Fourth : the style of characters used specially for printing, the
Song style, became more refined and was widely used.
Fifth : with the invention of woodblock color printing, the printing craft
got more perfected.
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Initiative Printed Color Writing Paper collection of the Luo Studio.
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Shi Zhu Zhai Book on the Art of Painting (Shi means ten, Zhu means Bamboo, Zhai means Studio.), printed with watercolor blocks by the HuZhengYan, in NanJing, Ming Dynasty.
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The largest printing house operated by the Ming court was the
factory run by the Directorate of Ceremonies. Construction of the factory began in the
19th year of Yongle Reign (1421 A.D.), and by the JiaJing years, it had around one thousand
artisans working on woodblocks, printing, binding, ink making and brush making. It was the
largest printing factory in Chinese history.
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The Ming Dynasty
Encyclopedia of Rituals (engraved and printed by the Imperial Printer in the 9th year of
the JiaJing Reign)
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Buddhist Scriptures
of the Southern Dynasties (engraved and printed at Nanjing, in the 5th year of HongWu Reign.)
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The Luan Cheng
Collection, engraved and printed in the 20th year of Jia Jing Reign by the SiChuan Commander's Office (Cheng means city or town.)
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Huan Lin Bei Lan (Directory of Officials), printed by
workshops in Beijing, in Ming Dynasty.
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Cross Reference for Sun Zi, a duotone
printing in 1620 A.D., 48th year of WanLi Reign, by Song Yun shop (Song means Pine, Yun means Bamboo.).
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Yu Pian, engraved by Jin
De Printing House in JianYang County, in 1492 A.D., 5th year of HongZhi Reign (Yu means Jade, Pian means Book. It is a Dictionary.)
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Collected Writings of Monk Hong Xiu, engraved by the Ji Gu Pavilion Library of the Mao family,1643 A.D., in 16th year of ChongZhen Reign.
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History of Chang An (engraved and printed by Lin
Yang Bookshop,ShanXi Province, in 1468 A.D., the 4th year of the Cheng Hua Reign.)
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A Story of Hong Fo (engraved and printed by Rong Yu
Printing House in HangZhou)
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The technological process of woodblock water color printing
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The technological process of traditional thread binding
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