Goryeo Woodblock Printing

Timeline

1. c. 930–1000Kaesong · KaesongAfter founding the state, Goryeo inherited woodcut printing techniques transmitted from Silla and Tang; early output focused on religious prints such as scriptures and talismanic seals, with carvers and paper gradually localized.
2. c. 1000–1100Janginseo, Kaesong · KaesongSpecialized bodies such as the Janginseo were established to manage block carving, collation, and printing, forming a complete workflow from copy preparation to carving to printing, with official and temple printing developing in parallel.
3. c. 1010–1251Haeinsa · Hapcheon CountyWoodblock printing technology supported the first and second carvings of the Goryeo Tripitaka and other enormous projects, with tens of thousands of blocks, representing world-leading mass printing capability at the time.
4. c. 1100–1392Korean Peninsula · Korean PeninsulaGoryeo printed editions reached Japan and elsewhere through maritime exchange; the Joseon dynasty continued and developed woodblock printing, with its layout and collation standards influencing later East Asian publishing culture.