johannes gutenberg is often associated with printing the first book using moveable type in germany.
johannes gutenberg is often associated with printing the first book using moveable type in germany.
who is often associated with printing the first book using moveable type in germany?
johannes gutenberg
with the shift towards printing presses in the west, after johannes gutenberg developed a method that was cheap, fast, and filling the demand for books, the renaissance truly came into its own. even though the printing press was a paradigm shifting invention, printing had many critics, who were afraid that books could spread lies and subversion or corrupt unsuspecting readers. also, they were afraid that the printed texts would spread heresy and sow religious discord. the gutenberg bible was the first book produced with moveable type in europe. martin luther's bible, which was published in german in 1522, started the protestant reformation. latin's importance as a language started languishing with the rise of texts written in national languages. the shift from scholarly latin to everyday languages marked an important turning point in print culture. the vernacular bibles were important to other nations, as well. the king james authorized version was published in 1611, for example. along with the religious tracts, the scientific revolution was largely due to the printing press and the new print culture. scholarly books were more accessible, and the printing press provided more accurate diagrams and symbols. along with scientific texts, like the works of copernicus, galileo, and tycho brahe, atlases and cartography started taking off within the new print culture, mostly due to the exploration of different nations around the world.
print culture
moveable type printing was invented in china in the eleventh century, and the technology was further refined in korea. according to the historian lawrence marceau, during the late-sixteenth century, dramatic changes in japanese printing technology were sparked by "two overseas sources". the first was the movable type printing-press established by the jesuits in kyushu in 1590. the second was the looting of korean books and book printing technology after the invasion of korea. before 1590, buddhist monasteries handled virtually all book printing in japan, and, according to historian donald shively, books and moveable type transported from korea "helped bring about the end of the monastic monopoly on printing." at the start of the invasion in 1592, korean books and book printing technology were one of japan's top priorities for looting, especially metal moveable type. one commander alone, ukita hideie, is said to have had 200,000 printing types and books removed from korea's gyeongbokgung palace. in 1593, a korean printing press with movable type was sent as a present for the japanese emperor go-yōzei. the emperor commanded that it be used to print an edition of the confucian "classic of filial piety". four years later in 1597, apparently due to difficulties encountered in casting metal, a japanese version of the korean printing press was built with wooden instead of metal type. in 1599, this press was used to print the first part of the nihon shoki. eighty percent of japan's book production was printed using moveable type between 1593 and 1625, but ultimately moveable type printing was supplanted by woodblock printing and was rarely used after 1650.
korean influence on japanese culture