Movable-type Printing Activities in the Ming Dnasty and Publications Produced Using Movable Type

Speaker: Zhaohui He | 何朝晖, Professor, Institute for Classical Philology, Advanced Institute for Confucian Studies, Shandong University

Movable-type printing flourished during the Ming dynasty. This prosperity was reflected in its wide geographic distribution, the large number of institutions and groups engaged in movable-type printing, and the broad range of works produced, covering the classics, histories, philosophical writings, and literary collections. A considerable number of such editions survive today, including both wood movable-type and metal movable-type prints. Beginning with the social background of the Ming dynasty, this lecture analyzes the reasons behind the flourishing of movable-type printing. It outlines the development of movable-type printing during the Ming period and examines its position in the history of Chinese printing. Drawing on specific examples and physical editions, the lecture further explores the distinctive features of Ming movable-type printing, its relationship with woodblock printing, its role within the publishing industry, and its impact on the social and cultural life of the Ming dynasty.

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He Zhaohui is a professor and doctoral supervisor at the Institute for Classical Philology, Advanced Institute for Confucian Studies, Shandong University. His primary research fields include Ming history, philology, and book history. His publications include A Study of County Administration in the Ming Dynasty, Late Ming Literati and Commercial Publishing, Books and History, Annotated Guide to Ming Government Publications, The Social History of the Book: Books and Literati Culture in Late Imperial China (translated work), An Introduction to Book History (translated work), and In Service of the Predecessors: A Commemorative Volume for the 120th Anniversary of Gu Tinglong’s Birth (edited volume), among others.