Song Dynasty Movable-Type Printing

Timeline

1. 1161–1166Lin'an Prefecture · Lin'an PrefectureIn the 1160s Lin'an workshops were dominated by woodblock, but some private publishers and temple sutra printing still used Bi Sheng-style clay or wooden type for shorter works needing frequent revision. Printing was completed through firing type, composing in frames, and fixing with pine resin and wax paper, meeting Southern Song scholarly publishing and Buddhist scripture circulation needs.
2. 1167–1170Jiangnan circuits · Liangzhe CircuitBy around 1170, Shen Kuo's Dream Pool Essays was not yet written, but Bi Sheng's movable-type method had spread through oral transmission among craftsmen and early notes in Jiangnan. The parallel use of movable type and woodblock offered diverse printing options for Xiaozong-era classics collation, encyclopedic compilation, and book exports tied to maritime trade.