Print Culture and the Modern World

Introduction

• The earliest form of printing: Woodblock Printing
• Origin: China, Japan, Korea
• System of hand printing
• Dates back 1,400–1,500 years
• Used thin paper and instruments, folded and stitched
• Skilled craftsmen were key in this process

16th Century Printing Growth

• Printing grew due to Imperial State sponsorship and civil service exams
• Vast numbers of textbooks printed for exams
• Diversification in urban culture and new readers
• Print reached merchants and diverse genres

Japan's Evolution in Printing

• Earliest Japanese print: 768 CE, Buddhist missionaries' texts
• Popular book: Buddhist Diamond Sutra (868 CE) with woodcut illustrations
• Medieval Japan: Abundant and cheap books (1000–1300 CE)
• Urban Tokyo (Edo): Illustrated collections depicting urban life
• Libraries and bookstores packed with various hand-printed materials

Printing in Europe

• Brought by Marco Polo from China to Italy
• Widely used by 15th century: animal skin (parchment) books
• Increase in book production and scope: necessities for richer classes and scholars
• John Gutenberg (Germany) invented the mechanical press
  • First printed book: Bible (1448), 180 copies in three years
• 1450-1550: Spread of printing presses across Europe
• Explosion of book production: 20 million (late 15th century), 200 million (16th century)
• Shift from hand printing to mechanical printing: Print Revolution

Impact of the Print Revolution

• Exchange of knowledge, popular perceptions, and new perspectives
• Transformation in producing books, lives of people, relationship with knowledge
• Print culture created a new reading public and thus influenced the masses

Religious Debate and Fear

• Religious Reformation: Martin Luther's 95 Theses (1517)
• Stimulated ideas of Protestant Reformation
• Alarmed religious and monarchical authorities
• Introduction of Index of Prohibited Books by Roman Catholic Church (1558)

Rise of Mass Literacy

• 17th-18th centuries: increased literacy (60-80%) due to schools, religious initiatives
• Almanacs, cheap books, and periodic press catered to the growing market
• Popular works and periodicals became accessible
• Dissemination of scientific and philosophical ideas by authors like Isaac Newton, Thomas Paine, Rousseau

Impact on French Revolution

• Print culture popularized Enlightenment thinkers' ideas, transforming social norms
• Print facilitated critical commentary and new dialogues
• Aided in the dissemination of revolutionary ideas

19th Century: Expanding Horizons

• Rise in literacy, new readers among children, women, workers
• Specialized content being published for these groups
• Introduction of lending libraries and serialized novels

Printing and Indian Context

• Manuscripts in India: rich tradition in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, and vernacular languages
• First printing efforts by Portuguese missionaries (16th century)
• Growth in vernacular presses aiding societal debates and reforms
• Hindus and Muslims used print to assert and reform religious beliefs
• Vernacular Press Act (1876) imposed to curb free expression after 1857 Revolt

Summary

• The history of print culture reveals its significant impact on societal, religious, and cultural evolution globally
• As printing technology advanced, it democratized knowledge and education, facilitating progressive and revolutionary movements