However i would like to just point out that perhaps their should be another recipient of such a great honor.Block type had been invented in China as early as the fifth century AD, allowing buddhist scripts to be widely distributed to believers. Block type is when a whole page or set of characters is carved out of one block of wood then after the used to make numerous copies. One could argue that still the Gutenberg invention was much more important because it used movable type, or that each character could be set individually. However it seems that between 1041 and 1048 AD movable type was invented in China as well. That is an astounding 400 years before it was ever produced in Europe.
The complexity of the characters limited the ability of the Chinese to systemize a movable type system. (being a student of chinese myself I almost laughed out loud when I read this part). And so the movable type was really only able to thrive with a simpler, alphabetical, writing system. That being said, let's assume for a moment that Gutenberg still is given the honor of inventing the printing press: this invention would be impossible without the invention of paper and ink. And who invented the paper and ink used at the time of Gutenberg? The Chinese. Need I say more?
Fair enough. But it does say something about the conditions by which a technology takes off. In this case, an alphabetic literacy made it more possible for printing to develop rapidly than a character-based literacy. Form makes a big difference, regardless of who is first on a given invention.
ReplyDeleteNice points. I think that the Asians are often first in a lot of areas but not given the credit for it. For example, at the time of Columbus the Chinese had already "discovered" America and had maps of it. Yet Columbus is the great discoverer. Makes me wonder what else is not reported correctly in our history books.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Professor Burton: Though i do feel that china should get more of the credit for the invention my article was written somewhat tongue in cheek. i agree with you that the form of the language makes all the difference in the world. in fact i have thought about the implications of the chinese language towards the country's growth. i wonder if it would be growing even faster (if that is even possible) if foreigners had an easier time learning the language...what does anyone else think?
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