History and Theory of Book Publishing and Printing in China

Author: Xiao Dongfa
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-04-01
Features: This book is titled "The History of Book Publishing and Printing in China" and is divided into four parts:
Introduction: It provides a review of the stages of research on the history of Chinese publishing in the 20th century.
Origin: After examining the necessary conditions for the emergence of publishing and printing, including the invention of writing, the origins of books, the early stages of publishing, and early editing activities, it focuses on discussing the origins and development of block printing, movable type printing, and multi-color printing.
System: It breaks through the traditional notion of only discussing the three major systems of official, private, and commercial printing. It also dedicates separate chapters to the important contributions of Buddhist monasteries and academies in printing, which were closely related to education, providing necessary narration and argumentation.
Dissemination: It traces the spread of Chinese printing technology, including its eastward transmission to the Korean Peninsula and Japan, and its westward spread to West Asia, North Africa, and Europe. Finally, it uses dialectical thinking to analyze and discuss the overall characteristics of Chinese book culture and its impact on modernization.