中國傳統文化 第13期:四大發明(4)

The Four Great Inventions（4）

四大發明（4）

Before printing was invented, people had to rely on handwriting to reproduce a book.

印刷術發明之前，人們必須用手抄來複制書籍，

It was very slow and errors easily occurred.

這種方法很慢，很容易出錯。

Wood-block printing first appeared in the early Tang Dynasty.

唐朝初期，首次出現了木版印刷。

It was developed from the use of seals and stone engraving.

這種印刷術是從印章和石刻發展而來的。

Words engraved on stones could last very long, and Later, in about the 4th century, the method of rubbing a piece of paper on an engraved stone coverd with ink was used to maked copies.

刻在石頭上的字可以保留很久，後來，大約在4世紀，人們把一張紙鋪在刷有油墨的刻字石板上來印刷。

This gave workers the idea of engraving word on a wood-block and print them with the quick development of the economy and culture in the Tang Dynasty, books and other publications like calendars were needed by the public, and this demand promoted wood-block printing.

一些印刷工人由此想到，可將字刻在木板上來印刷。隨着唐朝經濟文化的迅速發展，人們需要書籍和日曆等印刷品，這種需求促進了木版印刷術的發展。

According to records in certain books, block printing was very common in the late Tang Dynasty.

據書籍記載，木版印刷在晚唐時十分普及。

During the Song Dynasty, the technique of block printing was very advanced.

宋朝時期，木版印刷術十分先進。

Books were beautifully printed.

書本印刷得很精美。

Even today the books printed at that time are valuable and treasured by libraries and book collectors.

直至今日，當時所印刷的書仍極有價值，是圖書館和書籍收藏家的珍藏。

Block printing was not very convenient.

木版印刷並不很方便。

Every two pages of a book had to be engraved on a wood block, and a big book would require many blocks.

每印兩頁就要雕刻一塊木板，一部大書需要很多木板。

Besides, there had to be large places for storing the blocks.

除此之外，還需要很大空間來儲藏木板。

To overcome these shortcomings, Bi Sheng invented the movable type during the years between 1041 and 1048.

爲了克服這些缺點，1041-1048年，畢昇發明了活字印刷。

One word was carved on one piece of clay, which was hardened with fire.

一個小泥塊上刻-個字，經過火烤變硬，

Then clay charaters were set on an iron plate according to the text of a book.

然後根據書籍文字將這些泥塊漢字排列在一塊鐵板上。

Then ink was applied to them and sheets of paper spread over them，and the printing was done.

然後刷上油墨，鋪上紙張，就可以印刷了。

Bi Sheng's invention made printing faster and easier than before.

畢昇的發明使印刷比以前更快更簡單。

Later, movable type of metal and wood was made and widely used.

後來，人們又製成了金屬活字和木活字，並廣泛應用。

One county magistrate of the Yuan Dynasty had over 30, 000 wood characters carved, with which he printed a book he had written.

元朝的一個地方官刻了3萬多個木活字，用來印刷他自己寫的書。

It was a book of more than 60, 000 words, and he finished printing 600 copies less than a month.

這本書有六萬多字，他一個月內就印了600冊。

The technique of printing was gradually known to other Asian countries and Europe.

印刷術逐漸傳入亞洲其他國家和歐洲。

It goes without saying that the printing invented by the Chinese has great influence on the advance of civilization.

印刷術對文明進步的巨大影響是不言而喻的。