Wooden Movable-type Printing of China中國活字印刷術

Juno

古代中國的四大發明包括指南針、造紙術、印刷術和火藥，它們是中國在人類文明史上占有重要地位的標志之一?；钭钟∷⑿g的出現，大大促進了文化的傳播，對世界經濟的發展和人類文明的進步做出了巨大貢獻。

The block printing technology in our country was probablyinvented in the seventh century， and reached its climax in the tenthcentury in the Song Dynasty. With the block printing technology，such procedures as writing samples， 1）carving blocks， sprayingthe ink and printing were involved in the process of publishing abook， and it was always time-consuming and costly in the use ofthe material resources and 2）manpower to print a work of greatlength. The procedures would have to be repeated if other bookswere to be published， hence peopleconducted active 3）explorationsand strived for improvements，which led to the eventualinvention of the movablec l a y - t y p e p r i n t i n gtechnology by a mancalled Bi Sheng duringthe period of Qingli of the?Northern Song Dynasty， as can be proved by the account of thebook Dream Pool Essays by Bi Sheng’s contemporary， Shen Kuo.From then on， the moveable-type printing technology was applied，and it was about 400 years earlier than that used in Europe whenGerman Gutenburg， for the first time， printed the Bible with this verytechnology.

Before printing was invented， a scholar had to copy charactersone by one if he wanted to publish a new book. During the NorthernSong Dynasty， Bi Sheng invented the movable-type printing aftermany years of experimentation. He 4）engraved the characterson small pieces of clay， and heated them until they became hardmovable characters. When printing a book， people placed themovable characters in order into a whole block and then ran off?a print. After printing， they took the block apart and reused thecharacters later. This method was both economical and time-saving.China’s movable-type printing first spread eastward into DPRK andJapan， then westward into Persia and Egypt， and at last， around theworld. The invention of movable-type printing greatly promoted thecultural exchanges among countries all over the world.

During the period of the Yuan Dynasty， Wang Zhen learned touse the movable wood types to print books. There are， becauseof the differences of the times and materials， different names forthe movable-type printing， such as the movable clay-type printing，magnetic printing， movable wood-type plate， movable copper-typeprinting， movable lead-type printing and movable tin-type printing.During the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty， wooden movable-typeprinting experienced a golden age， with many craftsmen creating5）intricate pieces of art by combining printing and calligraphy. Andit is estimated that 200 million books and various block prints wereproduced using this method during this time.

With the rise of modern technology in the twentieth century，wooden movable-type printing fell out of popularity and stoppedbeing used for mass production of printed books. The culturalsignificance of wooden movable-type printing goes beyond itspractical implications. This method of printing provided an idealmedium for disseminating information， ideas， and culture throughoutthe region.

The wooden movable-type printing technique was listed onthe National Intangible Cultural Heritage on June 14， 2008. And onNovember 15， 2010， it was listed on the List of Intangible CulturalHeritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding by the UNESCO. We can?see that this technique is endangered that only a few districts keepsthe custom of revising pedigrees in China.

In recent years， local organizations such as museums， schoolsand cultural centers have started preserving and displaying woodenmovable-type printing and its related artifacts， allowing visitors toexplore the art and culture of the craft. They also organize relevantworkshops and activities to help local craftsmen pass on their skillsand knowledge to younger generations. Additionally， the governmenthas taken steps to protect the craft by providing financial subsidiesand setting up awards， in order to ensure its future development.

1） carve v. 刻；雕刻

2） manpower n. 人力；人手

3） exploration n. 探索；探究

4） engrave v. 在……上雕刻

5） intricate adj. 錯綜復雜的

中國雕版印刷技術大約發明于公元7 世紀，在10 世紀的宋代達到鼎盛。使用這種技術出版一套書須經過寫樣、刻版、涂墨、印刷等多道工序，如果是要印一部大著作，往往要花費大量的物力、人力和時間。假如要再出版其他書，這些工序又得重新來過，因此人們積極探索，努力改進，終于在北宋慶歷年間，畢昇發明了膠泥活字印刷技術。此事記載于與畢昇同時期的沈括的《夢溪筆談》一書中，從此活字印刷術開始被使用。它比歐洲最先用鉛活字印刷術印《圣經》的德國谷騰堡要早約400 年。

印刷術發明之前，想出版新書的學者必須一字一句地抄寫。北宋時期，經過多年試驗，畢昇發明了活字印刷術。他把漢字刻在一小塊泥坯上，加熱漢字泥坯直到其變成硬質的活字。印書時， 人們按順序將活字擺在一起，印出印跡。印刷完后，他們把字分開，以便重復使用。這種方法既經濟又省時。中國的活字印刷術首先向東傳至朝鮮和日本，之后向西傳至波斯和埃及，最后傳遍全球?；钭钟∷⑿g的發明大大促進了世界各國的文化交流。

到了元代，王禎發明了用木活字印書?；钭职嬉驎r代、材料不同而有不同的名稱，有“泥活字版”“磁版”“木活字版”“銅活字版”“鉛活字版”“錫活字版”等。在明清時期，木活字版印刷術經歷了一個黃金時代，許多工匠結合印刷和書法創作出精美的藝術品。據估計，當時約有2 億冊書和各種平版印刷品是用這種方法生產的。

隨著20 世紀現代技術的興起，活字印刷術不再流行，不再被用于大批量印刷書籍?；钭钟∷⑿g的文化意義遠遠超出了它的實際意義。這種印刷方式為傳播信息、思想和文化提供了理想的媒介。

2008 年6 月14 日，木活字印刷術被國務院確定為國家級非物質文化遺產，在2010 年11 月15 日，又被聯合國教科文組織列入《急需保護的非物質文化遺產名錄》。由此可見，木活字印刷術仍是一項瀕臨滅絕的技藝，除了少數地區延續修訂族譜的習俗，在中國，大部分地區已經沒有這項習俗。

近年來，當地的博物館、學校、文化中心等組織開始保護和展示活字印刷術的相關文物，讓參觀者探索這門手藝承載的藝術與文化。他們還組織相關的研討會和活動，幫助當地工匠將技能和知識傳遞給年輕一代。此外，政府也已經采取措施保護這項手藝，通過提供財政補貼，設立獎項，以確保其未來發展。