What is the significance of traditional block printing today?

Recently, the "楮墨 Zhejiang Made Song rhyme thousand years -- Zhejiang Paper and Printing Inheritance Seminar in Song Dynasty" was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Inheritors of traditional papermaking and printing techniques from all over Zhejiang and experts from related industries gathered here to discuss the integration and development of the future industry of traditional papermaking and printing techniques.

The event also exhibited more than 30 block printing works created in different generations by Huang Xiaojian, the representative inheritors of the national intangible cultural heritage (Hangzhou block printing technology). Among them, there are the complete works of the reproduction version of the Ming Dynasty's sole handed down "Hushan Shengshou", and its color separation diagram, step diagram and local diagram, as well as the engraving sample, for visitors to appreciate and understand the intangible cultural heritage of engraving printing, which has been inherited for thousands of years.

It is reported that China's printing, paper and other ancient major technological creation has had an incalculable impact on the development of human civilization, and this impact continues to this day. Zhejiang, one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, has been a major producing area of these two skills since ancient times.

Hangzhou block printing technique is famous for its excellent engraving in history. During the Wuyue State of the Five Dynasties, the exquisite Leifeng Tatroni sutra was engraved in Hangzhou. After the Southern Song Dynasty moved its capital to Lin 'an, the engraving industry became more and more prosperous. Around the Imperial Street in Hangzhou, a large number of book shops, classics shops and paper shops were gathered, dealing in all kinds of processed paper, books and printed products. By the Ming Dynasty, the Song Dynasty engraved in Hangzhou has been a thousand pieces of gold, and now it is even more difficult to find.

In addition to creating a large number of precious block printing works in history and playing an important role in the communication of characters, what is the significance of traditional block printing today?

In Huang Xiaojian's view, traditional block printing techniques have been passed down to the present, and on the one hand, they can be used to reproduce precious block printing works in history. For example, on display on the same day, the Ming Dynasty handed down the sole copy of "Hu Shan Sheng Shou" copy.

He said that this is the pinnacle of traditional block printing technology, is the essence. But such fine products have disappeared in China, which is a great pity. Therefore, as the inheritor of this skill, he has the responsibility to reproduce it and let more people know that there is such a history.

The other significance of traditional block printing, Huang Xiaojian believes that it is a spirit conveyed by this technology, that is, the spirit of traditional artisans' pursuit of perfection and pursuit of transcendence.

He said that the artisan spirit of these traditional crafts is an encouragement, a spur, and a positive force for today's people, which is very important.

Wang Qiquan, a professor at the China Academy of Art and an expert on national/Zhejiang Province intangible cultural heritage conservation, believes that traditional block printing still has important contemporary value today and has achieved innovative development.

In his view, as an excellent traditional culture, traditional block printing has profound connotations. Under the background of strengthening the protection of cultural relics and cultural heritage, taking the protection of traditional block printing techniques as the carrier has conveyed everyone's confidence and determination to "promote cultural self-confidence and self-improvement, and cast new brilliance of socialist culture". In terms of inheritance, traditional block printing has been passed down to this day, not only the technology itself, but also the block printing culture.

In addition, he believes that the contemporary value of traditional block printing is also reflected in the popularization and publicity of intangible cultural heritage knowledge, promoting the implementation of social aesthetic education, and contributing to the telling of Chinese stories.

In order to better make traditional block printing continue to shine in the long history, Wang Qiquan suggested that the inheritors and relevant experts of traditional papermaking and printing techniques should continue to work hard in innovation and development, especially in the aspects of "reproducing classics", "re-building teams" and "re-creating brilliance". For example, with the help of the power of the communication platform, the reproduced classic works can be disseminated in a wider range; Another example is to rely on the experience and influence of the representative inheritors of block printing technology to give full play to the backbone of the team, so that with the expansion of the inheritance power of block printing technology and the improvement of the inheritance practice ability, block printing will do better.