Ancestral Book Engraving and Printing
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Summary
Editor's review
From a professional standpoint, the book is well-grounded in source material and clearly written, making it a reliable introductory and advanced read for anyone wishing to understand woodblock printing, a "living fossil." It skillfully balances scholarship and readability, offering professional analysis of classic editions such as the Diamond Sutra and Dream Pool Essays while also telling artisans' stories of craft transmission, freeing the ancient craft from cold material description and making it vivid and tangible. In today's era of prevalent e-reading, the book guides us to reexamine the beauty of the physical form of books and the handmade wisdom they embody, offering unique reading value. It reminds us that some codes of civilization remain engraved in wooden blocks and the scent of ink.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Researchers or enthusiasts interested in the history of traditional Chinese printing and the book
- People working in intangible cultural heritage protection or craft arts
- Art lovers who collect rare books and appreciate traditional woodblock prints
- General readers seeking an in-depth understanding of a specific traditional cultural craft
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking quick, light, entertaining reading
- Readers expecting a practical guide to modern graphic design or digital printing techniques
Reading tips
- Read alongside images of classic editions mentioned in the book or actual objects (such as in a museum) for a more vivid experience.
- Pay attention to the sections on the challenges and contemporary value of passing down "ancestral" techniques, which prompt reflection on cultural continuity.
- There is no need to finish it all at once; read by chapter and theme—tools, techniques, appreciation—deepening gradually.
About the publisher
Shantou University Press builds its publishing program on university textbooks, teaching reference books, and academic monographs, while also accumulating a body of literary and cultural titles. Its catalog shows a concentration on foreign and classical literary classics, including Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, Wu Cheng'en's Journey to the West, Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, and Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, covering categories such as world classics and canonical works. Its author resources include major Chinese and foreign writers such as Tolstoy, Hugo, Dickens, Cervantes, Fabre, and Li Yu. Books on parenting and social sciences also appear in its list. Drawing on the regional culture of Chaoshan, the press balances teaching and research with cultural popularization, and Chaoshan culture titles are one of its emphases. Given limited public information, other details are not addressed here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 前言
- 古老载体
- 汉字的起源与演变过程
- 商代的甲骨文与甲骨书
- 西周时期金文与青铜书
- 先秦时期石鼓文与石刻书
- 汉代以前的简牍与简牍书
- 先秦时期至汉代的缣帛书
- 版印纸书
- 西汉时期造纸术与纸质书
- 东汉时期蔡伦改进造纸术
- 东汉时期纸质书的流通
- 两晋南北朝时的写本卷轴
- 隋唐时期的雕版印刷术
- 印装插图
- 五代时期的刻书与插图
- 毕昇发明泥活字印刷术
- 宋代印刷业及版权保护
- 元代书装形式与插图
- 书业盛况
- 明代的图书出版体系
- 清代的图书出版系统
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About the author
Zhou Lixia, female, was born in October 1981 in Shehong County, Sichuan Province. She holds a master's degree and works as an editor at Wenhua Daobao (Cultural Herald), while writing freelance and compiling books in her spare time. Public information about her is limited, and few reliable details of her life beyond the above are available. Judging from the 174 works held in the collection, her compiling work covers a wide range: selected readers of leading modern Chinese essayists such as Lu Xun, Zhu Ziqing, Liang Yuchun, Yu Dafu, Xu Zhimo, Xiao Hong and Shi Pingmei; translations and introductions of foreign literature such as Eugénie Grandet; and works on law and classical literature. She has also compiled biographies of world figures and books on history and culture, and written titles including Youth Fears No Battle and The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations. Overall, her work focuses on selecting and editing classic texts and spreading knowledge for general readers, in plain and readable prose, and she has built up some experience in promoting essays and cultural-historical reading materials.
