金屬活字의 中國發明說에 관한 硏究

Abstract

It is internationally acknowledged that metal movable types were invented by Koreans. And it is well documented that Baekun whasang chorok puljo chikchi shimch'e yojol was printed with metal movable types in 1377. However, Chinese scholars have recently claimed that the Chinese had first invented metal movable types. Their claims are based on the bronze characters in bronze plates used for issuing paper currencies in 1154 and Qianfo bronze plates in 1148 in the Jin Dynasty. This study reviews their claims, and clearly defines the basic concepts of typography. (1) Types and typography were first invented in the form of clay types by Bi Sheng in the Song Dynasty. (2) Typography should consist of four distinct stages; that is, 1) production of types, 2) typesetting, 3) printing, and 4) disassembling of typeset plates and their reuse. (3) The clay types and clay typography by Bi Sheng and metal types by Korean are considered complete inventions, whereas wooden types, wooden typography and metal typography are considered improvements. (4) The bronze characters used in bronze plates for paper currencies and Qianfo bronze plates can not be accepted as a typography. Finally, it is strongly argued that an attempt to justify the conclusion drawn without concrete evidences by applying far-fetched interpretation is not acceptable.