Chronology of events in the history of Chinese printing

Sixth century Sui or before Sui

Thousands of imprinted Buddha statues found in Dunhuang, Turpan and other places are the relics of the Sui Dynasty or before the Sui Dynasty, and are the transitional printing form from seal stamping to woodcut brush printing.

Lu Shen "He Fen Yan idle record" cloud: "Sui Wendi open emperor 13 years on December 8, imperial reschews the relics of the order carved." Some say that printing began in the Sui Dynasty.

Early 7th century Sui

It is recorded in the literature that Lu Taiyi of Sui Dynasty knew his characters by touching books blind. Some people think he was touching a book. However, it is difficult to determine whether this book is a book for block printing or a block for rubbing.

636 Tang Zhenguan ten years

Shao Jingbang, a historian of the Ming Dynasty, recorded in his Hongjianlu that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty had ordered Empress Changsun's last work, The Female Rule, in the tenth year of Zhenguan. This is the earliest known printed book in the literature. According to this, it can be confirmed that printing was used for book printing before the 10th year of Tang Zhenguan (636).

The early Tang Dynasty in the 7th century

Four years in Xi 'an Tang tomb unearthed Sanskrit Doloni mantra, its burial objects are the early Tang or Sui dynasty relics, Shaanxi Province archaeological identification as the early Tang printed matter.

Before 649 Tang Dynasty

Appeared the world's first printed card deck.

"Southern Xinjiang Archaeological Catalogue" recorded "wispy flower template". The stencil of wispy flower belongs to "hole plate". It appeared around the same time as block printing. Fabric leakage since Qin and Han dynasties was much earlier than this.

From the 19th year of Zhenguan Tang Dynasty to the first year of Linde, 645-664

After Xuanzang returned from India (645), he once "printed the image of the universal Bodhisattva with Hui Feng paper and gave it to four people. This is the earliest recorded use of printing by Buddhists.

699 years ago Tang Wu Zhou early, middle

In 1906, a printed copy of Lianhua Sutra with the word "system" created by Empress Wu Zetian was unearthed in Turpan, Xinjiang.

Seventh century later Tang

In the Tang Dynasty, chintz was popular, and the patterns of the cloth were printed. The nip valerian technique originated from Qin and Han Dynasties, including fabric screen printing. It has to do with the invention of screen printing.

704 years ago Tang Chang 'an four years ago

The Chinese "Unsullized Jingguang Dalonyi Sutra" found in Bulguk Temple in Gyeongju, South Korea, is believed by experts to be a carved print during the reign of Wu Zetian in Tang Dynasty of China, between the first and fourth years of Tang Chang 'an (701-704). One of the first printed books.

713-741 years of Emperor Xuanzong Kaiyuan

The Kaiyuan Miscella, printed in the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, is the earliest newspaper printed by printing in the world.

The year 762 was the first year of Emperor Suzong Baoying

The almanac engraved by Dadiao in the east city of the upper capital of the Tang Dynasty (Chang 'an, today's Xi 'an) is the earliest known engraved almanac. Dongshi Dadiao Home is now known as the earliest carving shop.

770 Tang Dynasty Zong Dali five years

The existing "Million Sutra Mantra" in Japan, which is believed to be engraved in 770, is the earliest printed material in existence. It has been concluded that block printing was invented in China. This means that before this, printing had been introduced to Japan.

In 783, Emperor Dezong was founded in the fourth year

Traders' tax receipts were printed in the Tang market.

In 824, Emperor Muzong Changqing was born

In Yuan Zhen's preface to Bai Juyi's Changqing Collection, there is a record of "scribing a pattern and selling it in the market".

825 The first year of Emperor Jingzong Baoli

In Yangzhou and Yuezhou, some people printed the poems of Yuan Zhen and Bai Yuetian for sale or in exchange for wine tea.

835 Emperor Wenzong Taihe ninth year

Dongchuan festival make Feng Shu play clear ban plate printing when the constitution.

847-849 Tang Xuanzong Dazhong Yuan to three years

The earliest Taoist book, the biography of Liu Hong, a Taoist alchemist, was printed in thousands of copies in present-day Jiangxi Province.

861 Tang Yizong Xiantong two years

The earliest printed medical book "New Jibei urgent moxibustion Sutra" engraving printing.

865 years ago Tang Yi Zong Xian Tong six years ago

Xichuan (present-day Sichuan Province) engraved "Jade Essay" and "Tang Yun".

In the sixth year of Xiantong (865), Zongrui, a Japanese monk who came to China, took away the miscellaneous books when he returned home, including one of the "Jade Pieces" and one of "Tang Yun".

Tang Yun, written by Tang Wu Cailuan in the Palace Museum in Beijing, is the earliest existing whirlwind edition.

868 Tang Yi Zong Xiantong nine years

The Vajra-Prajna Paramita Sutra, engraved in the ninth year of the Tang Dynasty (868) and found in the Dunhuang grottoes in the existing British Museum, is the earliest printed book with a clear date and exquisite title picture in the world.