WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -As one of the Four Great Inventions in ancient China, movable-type printing technique was invented during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty (1041-1048 AD).

Detailed explanation-2: -Movable type was first created by Bi Sheng (990-1051), who used baked clay, which was very fragile. The Yuan-dynasty official Wang Zhen is credited with the introduction of wooden movable type, a more durable option, around 1297.

Detailed explanation-3: -Between 1041 and 1048 the Chinese alchemist Bi Sheng () invented movable type made of an amalgam of clay and glue hardened by baking, similar to Chinese porcelain. He composed texts by placing the types side by side on an iron plate coated with a mixture of resin, wax, and paper ash.

Detailed explanation-4: -Papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass-the four great inventions of ancient China-are significant contributions of the Chinese nation to world civilization.

Detailed explanation-5: -Woodblock printing involves carving the characters onto a wooden board, then brushing ink onto the board, and pressing the paper onto it. Entire pages were carved on separate pieces of wood.

Detailed explanation-6: -The concept of moveable type was invented by Bi Sheng in 1041. He relief-cut Chinese symbols into porcelain clay that was then kiln-fired. The individual symbols could be arranged to spell out a message that would then be dipped in ink and printed onto silk.