Reverently made for universal free distribution by wang jie on behalf of his two parents. While individual sheets of woodblock printed paper have been found dating to the early tang dynasty 7th century, the diamond sutra is the earliest complete book to be found intact. The earliest surviving book printed from movable metal type. It was produced on the 11 may 868, according to the western calendar. Mark barnard describes the book produced in ad 868 and found in 1907. Researchers believe that the koreans were printing books with movable type as early as the 1200s, with the first surviving printed volume with metalloid type being the jikji, which was printed in the year 77. Chinese cultures were printing pages of book like structures using carved wood plates and simple presses hundreds of years before gutenberg. The format of the book evolved with intermediate stages of scrolls folded concertina style, scrolls bound at one edge butterfly books and so on. The printing itself was done using large wooden blocks and, although earlier printed books have survived, this copy of the diamond sutra is the. It was found in a holy site called the mogao or peerless caves or the. And yet, this work came to the limelight only in the early 20th century. The twovolume book, known as jikji, is believed to be the oldest book in the world printed with metal type. The gutenberg bible, also known as the 42line bible, is listed by the guinness book of world records as the worlds oldest mechanically printed.
In 1900, at the cave of the thousand buddhas in dunhuang, china, the worlds oldest surviving, dated, printed document was discovered. The oldest extant printed book is a work of the diamond sutra and dates back to 868 ad, during the tang dynasty. Here are some of the oldest surviving books in the world. Known as jikji, it is a collection of buddhist texts compiled as a guide for students. Jikji, selected teachings of buddhist sages and seon masters, the earliest known book printed with movable metal type, 77. The vajracchedika prajnaparamita sutra has been translated from sanskrit into english variously as the diamond sutra, the diamond cutter sutra, the vajra sutra and the vajra cutter sutra.
Although there is no exact date known, between 618 and 907 adthe period of the tang dynasty the first printing of books started in china. Too fragile to go on permanent display, it can be viewed online in. The book itself is actually a scroll measuring just over 5 meters, and which was made from seven separate strips of yellowstained paper pasted together. The worlds earliest printed book is the diamond sutra and although the exact date it was made is uncertain, it has been thought to have been created between the 2nd and 5th centuries ce. While individual sheets of woodblockprinted paper have been found dating to the early tang dynasty 7th century, the diamond sutra is the earliest complete book to be found intact. It is certainly the worlds earliest book printed with movable metal type, and the progenitor of the printing revolution in europe. The diamond sutra, now recognized as one of the worlds great literary jewels, has recently undergone conservation. Aug 21, 2015 shi zhu zhai shu hua pu this is the earliest chinese book printed by the technique of polychrome xylography known as douban invented and perfected by hu zhengyan 15841674. Printed in china in 868 ad, it was found in the dunhuang caves in 1907, in the. The world s earliest dated ad 868 printed book is a chinese scroll about sixteen feet long containing the text of the diamond sutra. Chances are you know a little something about the gutenberg bible, the first. This printed book also has a beautifully illustrated front piece. This form of metal movable type was described by the french scholar henrijean martin as extremely similar to gutenberg s. With this technology the koreans create, in 77, the worlds earliest known book printed from movable type.
In the lower lefthand corner of the illustration can be found the buddhas disciple subhuti, listening to buddha presenting the diamond sutra. Til the worlds oldest printed book is the diamond sutra and it was created in 868 a. In 1455, gutenberg printed his first book, a latin bible. The precision with which one can date the creation of this book is purely down to the fact that it gives us its publication datethe only such case on this list it is, according to the british library, where it now resides, the earliest example of a dated, printed book in the world. It depicts the buddha, surrounded by monks and devotees. Reverently made for universal free distribution by wang jie on behalf of his two parents, 11 may 868. But this early 17th century copy is the earliest surviving edition, and unique in being complete. The diamond sutra, the earliest surviving dated complete printed. While the oldest books havent survived, one religious text takes home the title as the worlds oldest book printed with metallic moveable typethe jikji. What the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest printed book, has. Most people think the gutenberg bible, printed in latin in germany c. Sep 12, 2012 the diamond sutra was displayed in the british library at one stage near a gutenberg bible with the latter labeled as the worlds earliest printed book. In 1475 englishman william caxton produced the first book printed in english, the recuyell of the historyes of troye.
An ancient text that changed the perception of the history of the philippines. One volume of the work is held at the national library of france. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest. Erica eisen the oldest printed book in the world lrb 12 october. The intricate frontispiece of the diamond sutra from tangdynasty china, 868 ad british museum, which is widely seen as the earliest extant printed book traditionally, there have been two main printing techniques in east asia. According to cambridge, paper currency first appeared in china during the 7th century, and was in wide circulation by the 11th century, 500 years before its. Did you know the diamond sutra, the worlds earliest dated printed book, is in the british library. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book wood, frances, barnard, mark on.
Today, that scroll is housed at the british library and is acknowledged as the oldest dated printed book in existence. May 10, 2017 the book itself is actually a scroll measuring just over 5 meters, and which was made from seven separate strips of yellowstained paper pasted together. Discover this and other landmarks of printing in the librarys collections. Sep 17, 2012 the copy of diamond sutra worlds oldest known dated printed book. Made in 868 ad and written in chinese, the text contains a significant dialogue on perception, and is one of the most important sacred works of the buddhist faith. Creation of binary code inspired by 5,000yearold text. No one knows when the first printing press was invented or who invented it, but the oldest known printed text originated in china during the first millennium a. Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds.
Five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book. Printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the. Photograph of aurel stein with his expedition team in the tarim basin, circa 1910. The diamond sutra is part of a larger canon of early mahayana sutras known as the prajnaparamita meaning perfection of wisdom sutras. Printed copy of the diamond sutra the british library. The contents of the world s oldest multicolor printed book have finally been revealed. Bbc news entertainment oldest printed book on display. Dec 20, 20 thus the oldest book in the world must surely be the gutenberg bible oldest printed book in the west, from c.
May 11, 2016 five things to know about the diamond sutra, the worlds oldest dated printed book printed over 1,100 years ago, a chinese copy of the diamond sutra at the british library is one of the most. According to national library of peking in 1961, the diamond sutra is described as. This sutra a sanskrit word that means a religious teaching or sermon, in particular that of the buddha is commonly regarded as one of the most revered texts of mahayana buddhism. A look at the earliest printed bookand its not the. Background of the diamond sutra diamond sutra a new. The earliest surviving book printed from movable metal type 77 ce in 77 jikji simche yojeol, jikjisimcheyojeol a korean buddhist document written by the buddhist monk baegun buddhist name gyeonghan, was printed in heungdeok temple in cheongju, south korea during the goryeo dynasty.
The earliest examples of woodblock printing are estimated to date as far back as 220 ce. The method involves the use of multiple printing blocks which successively apply different coloured inks to the paper to reproduce the effect of watercolour painting. Oldest printed book published national geographic society. Amongst these ancient treasures was a copy of the diamond sutra, which has been described as the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. The diamond sutra was displayed in the british library at one stage near a gutenberg bible with the latter labeled as the worlds earliest printed book. This gorgeous woodblock print is the front page of the oldest surviving print manuscript in the world. The story of the world s earliest dated printed book at. A digitization of one of the worlds earliest printed books mahapraj. What is considered the oldest book ever written in the world. This copy of the diamond sutra in chinese language, complete with a beautifully illustrated frontispiece, is the worlds earliest dated, printed book. The oldest extant book printed with movable metal type is the jikji of 77. The very first printed book the diamond sutra scihi. The precise date makes this particular edition of diamond sutra the worlds oldest printed and dated book in existence.
Only the second of the two published volumes survives held at present in the national library of france. Jun 28, 2016 a copy of this sacred text, which was discovered in the mogao caves of dunhuang, china, has been described as being the worlds earliest complete survival of a dated printed book. The history of the book starts with the development of writing, and various other inventions such as paper and printing, and continues through to the modern day business of book printing. The earliest history of books actually predates what would conventionally be called books today and begins with tablets, scrolls, and sheets of papyrus. It was found in 1907 by the archaeologist sir marc aurel stein in the mogao caves of dunhuang, and is currently in the possession of the british library.
Among the hundreds of caves was a chamber that served as a storeroom for books. May 11, 2014 the frontispiece of the diamond sutra from tang dynasty china, the worlds earliest dated printed book, ad 868 british museum on may 11, 868, the earliest dated printed book was issued, a chinese copy of the socalled diamond sutra, one of the most important textbooks of buddhism, originally written in the 1st c. Sutras were copied to give merit to people and to all sentient beings in the world, said susan whitfield from the british library. The image depicts the frontispiece to the world s earliest dated printed book, the chinese translation of the buddhist text the diamond sutra. The buddhist text known as the diamond sutra is believed to be the oldest surviving printed book in the world. Handwritten notes by christopher columbus on the latin edition of marco polos le livre des. And yet, this work came to the limelight only in the early 20th. Thats over 70 years before johannes gutenberg succeeded in printing his famous bible in 1455 in germany. This consists of a scroll, over 16 feet long, made up of a long series of printed pages. The diamond sutra is the world s oldest known printed book. The worlds earliest complete, dated and printed book goes back to may 11, 868. Jul 15, 2019 one has to look to korea for the earliest printed books, as they began printing texts using metallic type in the early th century. May 17, 2019 the last few lines of the text, the colophon, identifies who printed it, when and why. The oldest extant printed book is a work of the diamond sutra and dates back to 868 ad, during the tang.
Geumgang banya baramil gyeong diamond sutra on the perfection of wisdom cheongju early printing museum. If the printing defined what a book was, then the oldest book would be the gutenberg bible, printed about 1450. However, the honour of being the earliest printed book goes to a buddhist text, known in. The story of the worlds earliest dated printed book.
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