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| ==Origins== | | ==Origins== |
− | It is believed that woodblock printing was first developed in China in the 7th<ref>Gallery labels, Royal Ontario Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/48532570997/sizes/l/]</ref> or 8th century, being transmitted to Japan by the end of the 8th century. The earliest extant example of Chinese woodblock printing is a handscroll copy of the ''[[Diamond Sutra]]'' today held by the British Library and dated to [[868]]. | + | It is believed that woodblock printing was first developed in China in the 8th century, being transmitted to Japan within the same century. The earliest extant example of Chinese woodblock printing is a handscroll copy of the ''[[Diamond Sutra]]'' today held by the British Library and dated to [[868]]. |
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| In the 9th century, printing was already a bustling industry in China; religious texts such as Buddhist [[sutras]] dominated, but a variety of gazetteers and almanacs, and collections of poetry were also published in significant numbers. | | In the 9th century, printing was already a bustling industry in China; religious texts such as Buddhist [[sutras]] dominated, but a variety of gazetteers and almanacs, and collections of poetry were also published in significant numbers. |
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| Woodblock printing spread to Japan in the 8th century, only shortly after it took off in China, and numerous examples of the ''[[hyakumanto darani|hyakumantô darani]]'', small woodblock-printed scrolls produced by the Japanese Imperial Court in [[764]]-[[770]], remain extant. | | Woodblock printing spread to Japan in the 8th century, only shortly after it took off in China, and numerous examples of the ''[[hyakumanto darani|hyakumantô darani]]'', small woodblock-printed scrolls produced by the Japanese Imperial Court in [[764]]-[[770]], remain extant. |
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− | Paper, first invented in China, was first introduced to the Islamic world around the same time, via the [[Silk Road]]. Printing was introduced to the Muslim world in the same manner, in or around the 11th century, but Islam rejected the mechanical reproduction of sacred texts; the Quran and other holy texts continued to be produced by hand, and the printing press began to be used in the Arab world only in the 18th century. | + | Paper, first invented in China in the 1st century BCE,<ref>Gallery labels, Royal Ontario Museum.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/48532570997/sizes/l/]</ref> was first introduced to the Islamic world also around the 8th century CE, via the [[Silk Road]]. Printing was introduced to the Muslim world in the same manner, in or around the 11th century, but Islam rejected the mechanical reproduction of sacred texts; the Quran and other holy texts continued to be produced by hand, and the printing press began to be used in the Arab world only in the 18th century. |
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| Meanwhile, in Western Europe, Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz developed a printing press method in the 1440s that scholars believe was invented independently of Chinese techniques. | | Meanwhile, in Western Europe, Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz developed a printing press method in the 1440s that scholars believe was invented independently of Chinese techniques. |