Chinese Woodblock Printing

Timeline

1. 600–907Chang'an and Dunhuang · ShaanxiDuring the Sui and Tang, woodblock printing was used for Buddhist scriptures and illustrated prints; excavated materials from Dunhuang and elsewhere prove the technique could mass-produce text and images, laying the foundation for large-scale book production in the Song.
2. 1011–1020Kaifeng Directorate of Education · HenanFrom the reign of Zhenzong to the early years of Renzong in the Northern Song, central and local governments and temples continuously printed Confucian classics and Buddhist texts; printing workshops flourished in the capital and in Sichuan and eastern Zhejiang, making woodblock printing the main channel for the spread of knowledge.
3. 1021–1127Hangzhou and Chengdu printing workshops · ZhejiangIn the mid-to-late 11th century, official, private, and commercial printing all thrived; medical books, encyclopedias, and examination texts were published in large numbers, and standards for layout, typeface, and binding gradually unified, giving woodblock printing a profound social impact.