The History of Woodblock Printing

The history of Chinese folk woodblock prints is basically synchronized with the invention and use of printing in China, and even if it is a little later, it is not too far away. In ancient times, the invention of paper, ink and brushes brought great convenience to people in writing words and drawing images, and became a great progress of human civilization. Especially the manufacture and popularization of paper, after five centuries or so, with the need for cultural dissemination, and feel a book of copying and a piece of drawing of the slowness, and further to solve the woodblock printing process, can be copied in large quantities. China's engraving and printing, generally believed to have been invented in the Tang Dynasty or before the Tang Dynasty, to the middle of the Tang Dynasty has been very mature. The most ancient printed book in existence. Volume, is the salty nine years (868 AD, printing and manufacturing of the "Diamond Sutra" scroll length of more than five meters, the volume is engraved with a beautiful title painting, the Department of Shakyamuni Buddha said the figure; Volume at the end of the engraved with the king of the order of the two parents respect for the creation of the Pusu's instructions. This is an example of religious beliefs in the form of folk art, but also engraved books and engraving synchronized evidence. Agricultural production attaches importance to the festival, and yin and yang five elements in ancient times directly linked to people's activities, there must be a large number of calendars, so printing calendars will become a major function after the invention of the printing press. The discovery of the almanac in the fourth year of the Tang dynasty (877 AD) also proves this point. The remnants of the almanac from the second year of Zhonghe (822 A.D.) in the late Tang Dynasty were printed by private individuals in Chengdu. Although no engraved pictures are seen on the almanac, there is a direct relationship with the later appearance of the spring cow picture, the nine nine cold elimination picture and so on.

Why the woodblock prints crowned with the word folk? Its target is also very obvious, is to see it as the basic culture of the nation to be examined in a comprehensive manner. From a historical point of view, folk woodblock prints are relative to the court, literati and religious woodblock prints; from a realistic point of view, folk woodblock prints are mainly differentiated from dry professional (specializing in, the creation of woodcutters.). Of course, the connotation of the word folk has not been very precise, the true extension is also scattered. And woodblock prints of folk and non-folk, but also mixed together, some are difficult to distinguish. It depends on the tendency of its art and the aspect it is about to be. If from the perspective of the history of Chinese printmaking to observe, it will not be difficult to find in the research on the inclination; a mention of ancient woodcut, is the novels and operas of the embroidered image, the whole map and the literati use of paper; a mention of folk woodcut, is the New Year's Eve paintings. For half a century, the study of folk woodcutting more than the generalization of all the yearbook. Of course, this is part of the achievements of Chinese woodblock prints, can not be ignored; however, on the other hand, but a large number of folk woodblock prints and even richer styles excluded from the study. In order to change this situation, we put forward the concept of Chinese folk woodblock prints and make a comprehensive examination of them. We aim to clarify the lineage of traditional Chinese woodblock prints, and to find out the basis for the development of official engravings at the court, the literati and religious propaganda. Only in this way can we see the whole picture of the development of Chinese woodblock prints. In this paper, only on the history of folk woodblock prints, types, circulation and artistic characteristics to briefly explain. The inactivity of concepts and categorization can also have a knock-on effect. The most obvious is to generalize the term folk yearbook to all folk woodblock prints. Here too there exists the process by which people recognize things and the degree of importance they attach to them. The term Nianhua appeared late. Late living Li Guangting "countryside words to solve Yi" in the official use of the word "New Year's paintings", and cited the "filial piety figure", "Zhuangjia busy" and other works, pointing out that the children to see, for the explanation, is not non-nurturing one of the end also, it is worth suggesting that this book will be portrayed with the door god, Spring Festival couplets. And so on, the concept is very clear. But before that, just a general term for New Year's paintings stickers, joy map, painting Zhang, paper painting children, the name is not unified. Until modern times, Mr. Lu Xun advocate emerging woodcut, exhorting young woodcutters to draw on the folk, or commonly used the word flower paper.