Printing
“Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a
printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and
is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.”
- Richard W Bulliet
printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and
is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.”
- Richard W Bulliet
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or
patterns that was used widely throughout East Asia. It originated in China in
antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later on paper. As a method of
printing on cloth, the earliest surviving examples from China date to before 220
AD.
patterns that was used widely throughout East Asia. It originated in China in
antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later on paper. As a method of
printing on cloth, the earliest surviving examples from China date to before 220
AD.
Movable type is the system of
printing and typography using movable pieces of metal type, made by casting
from matrices struck by letterpunches. Movable type that allowed for much more
of a flexible process, than hand copying or block printing. Around 1040, the
first known movable type system was created in China by Bi Sheng out of
porcelain. Sheng used clay type, which broke easily, but Wang Zhen later carved
a more durable type from wood by 1298, and developed a complex system of
revolving tables and number association with written Chinese characters that
made typesetting and printing more efficient.
printing and typography using movable pieces of metal type, made by casting
from matrices struck by letterpunches. Movable type that allowed for much more
of a flexible process, than hand copying or block printing. Around 1040, the
first known movable type system was created in China by Bi Sheng out of
porcelain. Sheng used clay type, which broke easily, but Wang Zhen later carved
a more durable type from wood by 1298, and developed a complex system of
revolving tables and number association with written Chinese characters that
made typesetting and printing more efficient.
Euro Printing
Johannes Gutenberg's work on the printing press began in approximately 1436 when he partnered with
Andreas Dritzehen, and Andreas Heilmann, Compared to woodblock
printing, movable type page setting and printing using a press was faster and
more durable. The metal type pieces were sturdier and the lettering more
uniform, leading to typography and fonts. The high quality and relatively low
price of the Gutenberg Bible at 1455 was established the superiority of movable
type, and printing presses rapidly spread across Europe, leading up to the
Renaissance, and later all around the world. Today, practically all movable type
printing ultimately derives from Gutenberg's movable type printing, which is
often regarded as the most important invention of the second millennium.
Andreas Dritzehen, and Andreas Heilmann, Compared to woodblock
printing, movable type page setting and printing using a press was faster and
more durable. The metal type pieces were sturdier and the lettering more
uniform, leading to typography and fonts. The high quality and relatively low
price of the Gutenberg Bible at 1455 was established the superiority of movable
type, and printing presses rapidly spread across Europe, leading up to the
Renaissance, and later all around the world. Today, practically all movable type
printing ultimately derives from Gutenberg's movable type printing, which is
often regarded as the most important invention of the second millennium.
China's Gunpowder
In Chinese, gunpowder is called “Huo Yao”, meaning flaming medicine. Unlike paper
and printing, the birth of gunpowder was quite accidental. It was first invented
inadvertently by alchemists while attempting to make an elixir of immorality. It
was a mixture of sulphur, saltpeter, and charcoal. At the end of the Tang
Dynasty, gunpowder was being used in military affairs. During the Song and Yuan
Dynasties, frequent wars spurred the development of cannons, and fire arrows
shot from bamboo tubes.
and printing, the birth of gunpowder was quite accidental. It was first invented
inadvertently by alchemists while attempting to make an elixir of immorality. It
was a mixture of sulphur, saltpeter, and charcoal. At the end of the Tang
Dynasty, gunpowder was being used in military affairs. During the Song and Yuan
Dynasties, frequent wars spurred the development of cannons, and fire arrows
shot from bamboo tubes.
Middle-East Gunpowder
The Arabs acquired knowledge of gunpowder sometime after 1240, but before 1280, by which time
Hassan al-Ramah had written, in Arabic, recipes for gunpowder, instructions for
the purification of saltpeter, and descriptions of gunpowder incendiaries.
However, because al-Ramah attributes his material to his father and forefathers,
al-Hassan argues that gunpowder became prevalent in Syria and Egypt by the end
of the twelfth century or the beginning of the thirteenth.
Hassan al-Ramah had written, in Arabic, recipes for gunpowder, instructions for
the purification of saltpeter, and descriptions of gunpowder incendiaries.
However, because al-Ramah attributes his material to his father and forefathers,
al-Hassan argues that gunpowder became prevalent in Syria and Egypt by the end
of the twelfth century or the beginning of the thirteenth.
Euro Gunpowder
Gunpowder was transported to Euro through the silk rode, by merchants that from china and the middle-east. They were used in the medieval cannons and explosives. The creation of guns was helped during this discovery in Europe.