Wooden movable-type printing of China is one of the world’s oldest printing techniques globally. It is maintained in Rui’an, Zhejiang Province, where it is still used to print genealogies. Trained men carve Chinese characters, which are then used for printing after the processes of engraving, selecting, and arranging the characters. This process requires a deep understanding of history and ancient Chinese grammar. Then, women are responsible for paper cutting and binding until the genealogy is completed. The wooden type pages can be dismantled and these movable characters can be used repeatedly. Throughout the seasons, craftspeople travel from one ancestral hall to another in local communities with sets of wooden movable characters and printing tools, manually producing genealogies. Once the genealogy printing is complete, there is a ceremony where the printers carefully place and lock it in a box for preservation. Wooden movable-type printing techniques are passed down through family only by oral transmission. However, the extensive training required, low income generated, the popularity of modern computer printing technology, and the decreasing interest in printing genealogies have led to a rapid decline in the number of craftspeople who master the technique. Currently, there are only eleven masters over 50 years old who master the complete set of skills. Without protection, this traditional craft is at risk of disappearing.

Translator: SHEN Ruixuan

Reviewer: PAN Wenrui