These print stories, you may really not know

This means that the progress of civilization not only depends on human intelligence, but also needs auxiliary tools and technology to promote the development of society as a whole. Printing not only opens up the exchange, mutual learning and innovation of civilizations, but also becomes an important tool to promote the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations, and makes great contributions to the progress of human civilization and cultural diversity.

Today, when we look back at the invention and development of printing, we will always remember its indelible contribution to China's culture, economy, politics and so on. After the printing spread to Europe, it changed the original situation that only monks could read and receive higher education, which also provided important material conditions for the emergence of the Renaissance movement in Europe.

In March 2022, Elephant Publishing published "100 Print Stories that Influenced the World", which opens a grand and vast map of the printed history of the world with 100 print stories.

The author Li Ying is the vice president and Secretary general of China Printing History Research Association, a member of China Science Writers Association, and has been engaged in research on printing history. He guides us to pay attention to traditional Chinese culture in his own way. Based on more than 100 pictures of printing culture around the world, the book further interprets the people, things and things behind printing culture.

The first chapter of 100 Print Stories That Influenced the World begins with a basic definition of what printing is, its classification, and its spread. These most basic knowledge will greatly mobilize your interest in the subsequent printing stories between different countries and regions, in addition to supplementing knowledge, but also to help us sort out the basic framework of printing in the past and present life.

Next, the book is divided into five sections, chapters 2 to 6 tell the printing history of Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Asia.

In books, you can learn many strange and interesting stories, such as:

◆ The Austrian national emblem incarnates the god of printing protection

In 1982, the Austrian State Post Office printed and issued a 500th anniversary stamp of the Austrian printing industry, marking the year 1482 as the beginning of the modern printing industry in Austria. But this small print commemorative stamp is a big deal. Suddenly, this is a carefully printed stamp of the Austrian national emblem, not only using four-color printing, but also using a separate spot color silver ink and gold ink, so that this stamp looks shiny. A stamp is a printed matter, no doubt, but this one seems to have nothing to do with celebrating the 500th anniversary of Austrian printing. However, if you look closely with a magnifying glass, you can see the brilliance and ingenuity of this small stamp, and see its high profile. Originally, this eagle and the eagle on the national emblem is not the same, it is indeed "eagle", and better than "eagle". Because it's not one eagle, it's two. Below the main eagle, there is a golden shield, and there is an eagle on the shield, which is the Byzantine double-headed eagle introduced earlier, representing the historical period of the printing industry in the country. The designer also hid a professional idea into the eagle's body, and the printing elements were integrated into the picture, that is, three printing rollers. Can you see where they are? Look for it!

In 1982, Austria issued the 500th anniversary of the printing industry stamp "Eagle".

Libya's money printing crisis

Since 2011, Libya has been pitted against the Government of National Accord and the "National Army," while the two factions have also divided the country's economy. Since then Libya has had two central banks. The dinars issued by banks controlled by the Libyan "National Army" are printed by the Russian State Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, while those issued by banks controlled by the Libyan Government of National Unity are printed by British companies.

Russian printing of the 2021 edition of the Libyan 20 dinar

Libya first entered the crisis of outsourcing money printing in 2011. On 4 March 2011, a cargo ship carrying Libyan dinars was detained by the British government. This caused a serious shortage of cash in Libya, government departments can not pay salaries, there are various humanitarian crises. On 30 August 2011, the United Nations Security Council decided to allow the British government to unfreeze the funds. On August 31, British Air Force planes arrived in Libya carrying about 280 million Libyan dinar banknotes, which were printed by the famous British (Thomas) De La Rue banknote printing company, weighing 40 tons.

In addition, in 2019 and 2020, Maltese authorities twice confiscated Russian-printed Libyan dinars, causing widespread concern in the international community.

Air conditioning was originally invented for printing houses

Many people who are afraid of heat want to "thank the air conditioner for its life-saving grace" when it comes to summer. But in fact, they should thank Willis Haviland Carrier (1876-1950), the inventor of the air conditioner. Moreover, they should be grateful to the printing press for inspiring such cool inventions in addition to spreading knowledge.