• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.289-301
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• 2021

When investigating old, printed documents, determining whether a work is printed on a woodblock or using a movable metal type is crucial. It is because the history of printing in Korea and across the world relies on determining the relevant printing invention used and the time of use of the movable metal type. Deciphering details from woodblock and metal prints requires various kinds of information regarding the imprint and the work's printing background, such as information on the characters in the printed document, the outline of the pages, the type of ink used, the production period of the ink, and the production period of the Korean paper. Analyzing such information can generally reveal the production period and the methods used on the old document. However, as such information is not documented systematically, relying on the researcher's judgment based on their experience and perception becomes inevitable. This study conducted an experimental investigation of the printing characteristics of woodblock prints using a replicated woodblock of the Wanpanbon edition of the Shimcheongjeon. Subsequently, the various phenomena and characteristics appearing on the woodblock prints were documented for future reference to determine the printing method of old documents. Finally, woodblock novels without an imprint may be used as a reference to estimate the printing dates by determining the degree of wear on the woodblock.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-128
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• 2013

This study targets ten titles of Hangul banggakbon novels in the Harvard Yenching Library to examine the bibliography, system, and characteristics. Among the ten titles, gyeongpanbon Guunmong, Leehaeryongjeon, Chunhyangjeon, Janggyeongjeon, two titles of Sodaeseongjeon, Honggildongjeon, anseongpanbon Yangpungunjeon, and two titles of wanpanbon Hwaryongdo have been found in Korea, too. However, gyeongpanbon Chunhyangjeon, 30 jangbon of Hyogyosingan(孝橋新刊), and wanpanbon Hwaryongdo seogyeseopobon are the ones that can be hardly found in Korea, and the library has possessed it there so far. With the two titles of Hangul banggakbon novels, it will be needed to reexamine the aspects of publishing Hangul banggakbon novels afterwards. Hangul banggakbon novels that Harvard-Yenching Library has now are mostly the ones that can be easily found in Korea, too. It is because the data started to be collected from the 1950's. In comparison with the materials in England, Russia, or Japan in the early 1890's, there are no rare books that cannot be found in Korea. The reason for this may be found from this.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.96-108
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• 2022

To understand the process of publication and distribution of ancient Korean novels under the Joseon dynasty and Japanese occupation, collecting information on the publication of various printed materials and estimating their publication date through various methods is extremely important. In this study, the characteristics and differences that appeared in the woodblock printing process were investigated using image comparison among editions of the Honggildongjeon (Tale of Honggildong) of Wanpanbon (完板本) (published in the Jeonju region) with other commercial editions of the ancient Korean novels. Additionally, the publication year of each edition was estimated. Printed images of different versions were compared with those of a recently discovered original series version and the changes in the process of carving replacement woodblocks were investigated and summarized. Various phenomena, such as differences in fonts, borderline shapes and integrity of printed characters, appearing in woodblock prints provided useful information for determining chronological relationships between the prints and estimating the approximate publication year for each edition. The various characteristics of woodblock printing obtained through this study are expected to serve as a reference for estimating the relationship between the printing method and the approximate publication date of old books and paper-based printed historical records.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2015

"Donguibogam" has been published several times in Japan and China since the first was published and established itself as representing the East Asian medicine in 17th Century. Also, modern far has attracted attention as a major classic book of Korea medicine. For these "Donguibogam" its contents, as well as several medical historians and bibliographers were early comment on versions. However, these prior studies did not confirm about the various editions of the publication time, especially for the initial wood-block edition estimate only. Through this new study found the following facts. First, Wood-block edition of two Jeollagamyeong published until the mid-18th century to be confirmed by the "Seungjeongwonilgi". Second, the timing of the editions published later modified in Naeuiwon is confirmed by the "Chakpan Catalog" and the "Seungjeongwonilgi". Third, the person who keeps wood-block edition of Chonnamgamyeong is the first empirical examples of the same edition. Fourth, the edition is not published editions group that bypasses the Naeuiwon modified.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.590-605
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• 2021

The history of printing technology in Korea is studied by investigating existing ancient documents and records and comparing accumulated data and knowledge. Cultural property research requires non-destructive testing and observation with the naked eye or aided by a microscope. Researchers' experience and knowledge are required even though they cannot guarantee the outcome. For ancient documents and records that are presumed to consist of woodblock printing, wood type printing, metal type printing, or their combinations, each researcher draws various opinions and conclusions. This often causes confusion and divides the opinions of ordinary citizens and field specialists. Among them, the criteria for judging ancient documents or books printed using woodblock and metal movable material are ambiguous. Academic research on the development history of printing technology in ancient Korea has been stagnant, and conflicts among researchers have also erupted. Involvement of national investigative agencies not specialized in cultural properties has exacerbated the situation. In this study, we investigated printing characteristics that are likely to serve as more objective judgment criteria by quantitatively analyzing the experiments of retrieving several sheets of Korean paper (Hanji) using a replicated Hunminjeongeum (訓民正音) woodblock and quantitatively analyzing the images of the printed papers. In addition, the validity and questions for the typical phenomena presented as a method for distinguishing between woodblock and metal print are reviewed. We investigated the possibility of developing new objective judgement criteria through quantitative analysis using image analysis and investigating the printing characteristics of Korean paper through a reproduction experiment of woodblock printing.