Wooden Type Printing in the 16~17th Century Joseon Dynasty and its Significance in Publication Culture

This study aims to examine the phenomenon of diversification in the ways of possessing knowledge due to the varying methods of publication. To this end, it focuses on publishers and printing methods that started to change from the late 17th century Joseon and reviewed the circumstances in detail. Through this, this study tries to take a closer approach to the background of wooden type printing, which developed in various forms in Joseon era. In Joseon, the wooden type printing started be managed mainly by the nation from the early 17th to the mid-17th century, and it was an inevitable choice for the reduction of expenses in the time of scarcity after a big war. Especially, the active publications of institutes such as Hunryondogam had a significant influence in book publication afterwards. With lower cost than woodblock printing or metal type printing, ease in preparing materials, and shorter time for type production, wooden type printing could respond to the publication of essential and sought-after books. Though it could not print as much as woodblock printing, it could achieve the aim of large-scale printing to some level, and as it used types, it could print various types of books. This study examines the circumstances where the method of publication changed from woodblock or metal type printing to wooden type printing, and reviewed the publishing situations of institutes, such as Hunryondogam, Gongshindogam, and Shillokchung, which were the major institutes of publications in the early 17th century. This study is believed to help understand the new aspects of publication in the late Joseon era and the background of recovery and improvement of publication in the late 17th century.