Western Small-sized Imprints

The introduction of metal movable type printing by the German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1400–1468) in the mid-15th century was one of the events that paved the way for the modern history of the West, and one that played an influential role in such pan-European cultural movements as the Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment. While the production and publication of books and the circulation of knowledge has undergone fundamental changes from the 16th century onwards owing to the arrival of publishing houses, the advancement in book production techniques, and the emergence of the mechanization of printing, the basic form of the book has not. The books that we see on the market today still retain the form and look of the Roman codex, which was modeled on the wax tablet used by the Assyrians in antiquity.

Compact and easy-to-carry small-sized editions are as old as history. When humans started to make objects in the Paleolithic period, they were already experimenting with scale to make miniature or micro versions of such objects. The Babylonians were known to make records of trade in small clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions. Books are no exception: small-sized versions appeared almost concurrently with their regular counterparts, and the lower costs of the small-sized imprints meant that ordinary families could also afford to make reading part of their lives.

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  Essays of the Strange Subtilty, Determinate Nature, Great Efficacy of Effluviums

  Robert Boyle (1627-1691), Nicholas Steno (1638-1686) London, Printed by W.G. for M. Pitt 1673

  
  

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  Pictures from Italy

  Charles Dickens (1812-1870) The vignette illustrations on wood by Samuel Palmer (1805-1881) London, Published for the author by Bradbury & Evans 1846

  
  

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  The Charge of Sir Francis Bacon Knight, His Maiesties Attourney Generall, Touching Duells, vpon an Information in the Star-chamber against Priest and Wright. With the Decree of the Star-chamber in the Same Cause

  Francis Bacon (1561-1626) [London], Printed for Robert Wilson 1614

  
  

Early Small-sized Imprints of Taiwan

This section features a selection of 19 small-sized books in 21 volumes; some were printed in Taiwan, and others printed in China and circulated in Taiwan. Certain imprints were showcases for delicate bindings, but they were produced primarily for reasons of ease of carriage and low cost.

The books shown in this section fall into five categories: (1) educational materials, and the foundation textbook on the Minnan dialect Qianjin Pu (A Thousand Pieces of Gold) printed by Songyunxuan in Tainan is the oldest extant copy, while the Zhiming Suanfa (Guidance for Understanding of Computational Method) is an early work on arithmetic; (2) handy reference books, such as Shinonggongshang Shouchao Libian Laiwang Shuxin (Letter Writing for All Walks of Life) and Huitu Zengbu Zhengxu Wanbao Quanshu (Illustrated and Enlarged Complete Book of Myriad Treasures, with Supplements), for each household; (3) compact language texts providing easy access to required passages, such as Zengbu Shiwu Yinhui (Supplemented 15 Phonemes), Taiwan Hua (Taiwanese), and Rimin Huihua (Conversational Japanese and Minnan); (4) handbooks that are easy to carry, including Dengmi Daguan (A Grand View of Lantern Riddles), the fortune-telling Huitu Baihe Shenshu (Illustrated White Crane Magic), and Huitu Shenxiang Tieguandao (An Illustrated Overview of Physiognomy); and (5) light readings for travel, such as Xiuxiang Yang Wenguang Pingnan Quanzhuan (General Yang Wenguang Pacifying the South, Embroidered Portraits), Huitu Paian Jingyiji (Table-pounding Amazements Illustrated), and Zhouche Xiaoqianlu (Pastime Literature for the Road). All these exhibits bring to the fore the low cost, convenience, and practicality of small-sized imprints.

Of the imprints on view the most unusual is the earliest extant title on magic the Zhongwai Xifa Tushuo (Illustrated Magic Tricks from China and Abroad) written by Tang Zaifeng, who had studied a variety of tricks for over 30 years. Presenting more than 300 tricks, the lithographic edition is divided into 12 juan (fascicles) over 6 volumes, accompanied by explanatory illustrations. The Shenxian Xishu (Fantastic Magic Tricks) of the Ming dynasty is the earliest known magic trick book in China; however, it is now lost. This makes the Zhongwai Xifa Tushuo the earliest extant book of its kind. Promoting the rather advanced idea of romantic love, the Hongying Zhiming Ge (The Song of the Singing Red Oriole) is a collection of Taiwanese pop songs during the Japanese Colonial Era. A number of memorable pieces worth savoring are included in the volume, such as the famous Tiaowu Shidai (Dancing Era)."

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  Zhongwai Xifa Tushuo (Illustrated Magic Tricks from China and Abroad)

  Written by Tang Yunzhou, Qing dynasty Lithographic edition of the 15th year of the Guangxu reign (1889), Qing dynasty

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  Huitu Shenxiang Tieguandao (An Illustrated Overview of Physiognomy)

  Imprint Author unknown by the Wenhua Shuju Press of Shanghai, early Republican era

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  Huitu Paian Jingyiji (Table-pounding Amazements)

  Lithographic edition by the Zhuji Shuju Press of Shanghai, 1st year of the Republican era (1912)