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Ming woodblock printing

Type Object Region China Time 1368–1644

The Ming mass-reproduction technique for books and documents, developed on Song and Yuan woodblock printing, using pear or jujube wood blocks, ink pr…

Timeline

  1. 1368–1380Yingtian Prefecture (Nanjing) · NanjingThe early Ming inherited the late Yuan Jiangnan printing tradition, setting up printing artisans in the Imperial Academy and the Directorate of Astronomy to print official histories such as the History of Yuan and an early draft of the Great Ming Code, restoring the supply of central documents and textbooks after the wartime disruption.
  2. 1381–1390Imperial Household printing office, Nanjing · NanjingIn mid-to-late Hongwu, printing management was tightened, banning private printing of calendars, laws, and current-affairs documents; official woodblock shops concentrated on printing the definitive Great Ming Code, calendars, and classics; Nanjing became the most important woodblock printing center of the early Ming.
  3. 1500–1644Jianyang bookshops, Fujian · JianyangIn the mid-to-late Ming, private bookshops in Jiangnan and Jianyang flourished, publishing encyclopedias, novels, drama, and examination aids, complementing official printing; woodblock techniques grew refined, and methods such as two-color overprinting gradually spread.

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