Movable type printing became widespread in the Song Dynasty and played an important role in the cultural development of the time.
The shape of books also changed. During the Tang Dynasty, books were rolled. However, with movable type, books were printed in volumes similar to modern books.
Han Qi, a research fellow for today’s Chinese Academy of Sciences, believes that the development of Neo-Confucianism during the Song Dynasty was due to the widespread availability of printed books.
Printed book also promoted the development of science, technology and education.
During the Song Dynasty, both private and public school developed quickly. About 300 schools focused on education, teaching and book printing.
Some schools had math and physics departments.
This was also the age of the scholar-bureaucrat. A scholar from an impoverished background could become a member of the higher-social class through imperial examinations.
China was also the first country to introduce bronze-block printing for advertisements.
It is widely believed that without government support for the sciences, it would have been difficult to achieve the progress that took place at this time.
Return to Song Dynasty – Part 5
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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too.
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