A rare surviving woodblock (470 x 202 mm.), carved on both sides with classical Chinese text

Korea: [early 19th cent.].




In East Asian woodblock printing, the first step was choosing a piece of deciduous wood. A calligrapher would write out the text on a sheet of paper, which was then pasted ink-side down onto the block. Most of the paper was then rubbed off, leaving only a mirror image of the characters. The carver would then carve around inked parts of the wood to leave the area to be printed in relief. Carving was usually done along the grain. "After the carving is complete, the surface is cleared of any remaining wood refuse or paper tissue and washed. The block is then held firmly on a table with paper, ink, brushes, and other accessories placed to hand. The printer takes a round inking brush...made of horsehair, dips it into the water-based ink, and applies it to the raised surface of the block. A sheet of paper is immediately laid over it and a long, narrow rubbing pad...is brushed lightly over the back of the paper. A positive image of the characters or illustrations is thus transferred to the paper, which is peeled off the block and laid aside to dry. The process is repeated until the necessary number of copies is obtained" (Tsien Tsuen-hsuin, Paper and Printing, Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 5, Part 1, pp. 200-1).


Our block is for printing leaves 14 and 15 from Part 8 of Nŭkch'ŏn sŏnsaeng munjip (or Neukcheon seonsaeng munjip 櫟泉先生文集 [Collected Prose of Our Teacher Oak Spring] by Song Myŏnghŭm (or Song Myeongheum) 宋明欽 (1705-68). The central column of the woodblock provides us with the full title of this work. Song was a late-Chosŏn writer, scholar, and official who served as tutor to the crown prince. However, he was dismissed from office after making political remarks that offended the king (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture 한국민족문화대백과사전, online).


In his scholarly life, Song corresponded with many thinkers of the era. Several of these letters are included on our woodblock. The verso of the block includes the beginning of a letter to one Kim Chungch'ŏk 金仲陟.


Collected Prose of Our Teacher Oak Spring was published posthumously. The colophon mentions that Song has been dead for 38 years at the time of writing, which would date the publication-and our woodblock-to 1805 (some bibliographical records infer the date to be 1809, which would imply a later death for Song).


In near fine condition; small splits to the handles. Woodblocks from the Korean peninsula are rare.


❧ Korean Old and Rare Collection Information System 한국고문헌종합목록, online.