读序一得——明初书籍刊刻小识

What Gained from Reading a Preface——Blocks-cutting of the early Ming Dynasty books

明初的书籍刊刻,一般在作家卒后,由后人编次文稿,筹资刻板,属于私人活动。火灾是书籍刊刻的大敌。这种情状可以引申到古代的其他时段。编次文稿、刻印、火灾之害,这三者都与古代书籍刊刻出版相关。这三者更是大致画出了明代书籍出版的面貌。

In the early period of the Ming Dynasty, volume blocks were often inscribed after writer＇s death and compiled by the order of his works, which was operated by private funds. Fire remained a formidable enemy of these blocks, and the situation had not been changed for several centuries. Compiling manuscripts, cutting blocks and preventing fire were involved in publishing books of ancient time, and they drew the outline of publication of the Ming Dynasty.