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How did Chinese woodblock printing work?
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Chinese woodblock printing, which emerged around the 6th century, was a meticulous process used to reproduce texts and illustrations. The technique involved several distinct steps:12
- Preparation: A text was first written in ink on a sheet of fine paper. This sheet was then applied face-down onto a smooth wooden block coated with rice paste, which held the ink of the text in place.1
- Engraving: An engraver carved away the uninked areas of the wood, leaving the text standing out in relief and in reverse.1
- Printing: To create a print, the block was inked using a paintbrush. A sheet of paper was then placed on the block, and the back of the paper was rubbed with a brush to transfer the image.1
Because each page required a unique block to be painstakingly carved by hand, the process was time-consuming and best suited for shorter works. This method allowed for printing on only one side of the paper. While later innovations like movable type were developed, traditional woodblock methods remained in use for centuries.213