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When Was the First Book Printed?

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Quick Answer

The Diamond Sutra, printed in China in 868 AD, is the earliest known dated printed book; Gutenberg Bible (c. 1455) was the first with movable type in Europe.

The Full Story

The earliest known dated printed book is the Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist text printed using woodblock technology on 11 May 868 AD in Tang Dynasty China. The scroll was discovered in the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang in 1907. However, movable type printing was invented by Bi Sheng in China around 1040 AD using ceramic pieces. In Europe, Johannes Gutenberg independently developed metal movable type around 1440, and the Gutenberg Bible, printed circa 1455 in Mainz, Germany, became the first major book produced with this technology. Gutenberg press revolutionised information dissemination in Europe, fuelling the Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution.

Key Facts

1.Only about 49 copies (21 complete) of the Gutenberg Bible survive today, each valued at tens of millions of dollars.
2.Before printing, European books were hand-copied by scribes, taking months per book.
3.Gutenberg press could produce about 3,600 pages per day, compared to a few pages by hand.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The First Printed Book — From China to Gutenberg"