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Journalism / Mass Communication QUESTION #6414
Question 1
Which of the following BEST describes the historical significance of block printing originating in China (Diamond Sutra, 868 AD) versus Gutenberg's movable type press (1440s)?
  • Block printing was a faster technique than movable type, so Gutenberg's press was actually a step backward
  • Block printing was the original method (pressing paper onto individually carved wooden blocks) — used for centuries in China; Gutenberg's innovation was the first widespread use of MOVABLE type (separate, reusable characters), combined with oil-based ink and rag paper, creating a far more efficient system for alphabetic languages✔️
  • Both techniques are identical — the Diamond Sutra was printed using movable type identical to Gutenberg's
  • Movable type was invented by Gutenberg without any knowledge of Chinese printing technology
Correct Answer Explanation

The textbook carefully distinguishes two phases of printing history:

  • Block Printing: The original Chinese method — carving an entire page's content into a single wooden block, then pressing paper onto it. The earliest known printed text using this method is the Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist scripture, printed in China in 868 AD. The disadvantage: a new block must be carved for every different page — extremely time-consuming.
  • Movable Type: Invented by Bi Sheng in China around 1041 AD using clay type. Gutenberg (1440s Germany) independently refined it using durable metal type, oil-based ink, and rag paper (paper introduced to Europe from China via Muslim trade routes). Gutenberg is credited because he created the first commercially practical and widely adopted system for European alphabetic languages.

Gutenberg's press was not entirely novel — it built on Chinese and Korean innovations — but its adaptation for the Latin alphabet and its commercial viability made it a historical turning point.