Woodblock printing
Woodblock printing began to develop during the 8th and 9th centuries. This grew out of the huge paper industry that had emerged since the Han. Woodblock printing allowed the rapid production of many books, and increased the speed at which knowledge spread. The first book to be printed in this manner, with a production date, was the "Jin Gang Jin", a Buddhist text printed in 868, but the hand-copying of manuscripts still remained much more important for centuries to come. During the later years of the Tang dynasty, overseas trade also began with East Africa, India, and the Middle East.