Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-06-23
NO. 25.
The Antiquity Of Printing.

At the last meeting Of the Asiatic society of
Japan, Mr. u. Satow read paper on "rhe
Early History of Printing in Japan" The art
OF printing on wooden blocks in China seems
to be due to the accident of some one desir-
ing to obtain fac simile of an inscription on
stone monument, in the first instance by the
process OF rubbing with coloring matter over
the paper, and subsequently by covering the
stone with Indian ink, placing the paper
against It, and rubbing. II was probably long
before the plan Of engraving a composition
for the express purpose of taking copies was
thought of. In 175 A. ID. the text of the Chi
nese classics was cut on tablets which were
erected outside the university, and of these
Impressions were taken, some of which are
said to be still in existence. Printing from
wooden blocks seems to be no older than tho
end of the sixth century. It was not till the
tenth century was well advanced that printed
books became common. In Japan the earli-
est example Of block printing dates from the
middle of the eighth century. Before that
stone inscriptions and seals with engraved
characters we're in use. The early Japanese
prints were chiefly reproductions Of the Chi
nese Buddhist and classical works, the absence
OF native literature apparently retarding the
adoption OF the art Of printing. The first
really national work printed in Japan was the
"Ni-hon-gi," at the very end of the 10th CEN
tury. Printed slips containing Dharani out
of the Buddhist Scripture were distributed
throughout Japan to the number of ], 900, 900
In 164-I1O; these were apparently printed
from cast copper or bronze blocks rather than
from wooden ones. The earliest Japanese
printed books were of a considerably later
date. OF those which have come down 10
modern times, the oldest was printed about
700. Printing received a greatimpulse from
the expeditions Of Hideyoshi against Korea
when number of books were brought back
by the victors, and the japanese learned what
had been achieved by people whom they had
considered vastly their interiors. Among
these we're some books printed with movable
type-a contrivance which seems to have
found Immediate favor with the Japanese, for
nearly all the books produced within the next
30 or 40 years we're printed with movable
type. The use Of movable type in China is
said to date from the middle Of the 11th CEN
tury, but the author had been unable to cor
roborate this statement Movable copper
type was used in Korea at the beginning of
the 10th century, and even earlier; indeed,
one book SO printed appeared to date from the
years 1917 and 1924. And even if it were
not after all so old as it seemed to be, there
were others dating unquestionably anterior to
the date OF invention of printing by movable
type in Europe. The invention reached Jap
an from Korea, and there was distinct men
tion of Korean types produced by casting and
molding about 1920 A. d. Although illustrat-
ed books were very common in more recent
Japanese literature, the earliest Mr.. Satow
knew bore the date of 1910. Previous to this
however, there were woodcuts on large scale,
representing the popular gods, to some of
which very great age was attributed, one
dating from l017, and another being the work
OF Nichi-ren, who died in 12S2.-AttenauBl.