Page 14 - 2022 UNESCO ICDH Newsletter_vol.3

Jiyoung Noh
Column

42-line Gutenberg Bible From Jikji to Gutenberg Project

The First Bridge Program

The goal Seung Cheol Lee, Secretary-General and Chief of
of the From the Research & Development Division, and Jiyoung
直指 Jikji to Guten- Noh, programme specialist for the ‘From Jikji to
berg Project Gutenberg’ Project, visited relevant institutions and
is to broaden researchers in the United States as part of ‘The
the history of Bridge Program’.
book printing The team visited the Smithsonian Institution’s
from moveable Freer Gallery, Museum of Asian Art, Library
metal type as it is commonly understood to reflect of Congress, Scheide Library from Princeton
a more inclusive worldview. Both Jikji and the 42- University, etc., and carried out a joint investigation
line Gutenberg Bible were inducted into UNESCO’s on the rare and valuable collection of early
Memory of the World Inscription in 2001, affirming printings, books, and types from the 1400s to
the linked international significance of both 1600s. Researchers and specialists from various
technical achievements. Yet, 20 years later, the institutions in different countries exchanged
awareness of Korea’s early printing history remains knowledge and understanding on the special
a cultural blind spot in the world, especially in the collections which are known little to the world.
West. By examining the printings from Korean types
As one of the principal investigators, ICDH aims and Gutenberg Bible side-to-side, researchers
to raise interest and awareness of early printing were able to compare and contrast the distinctive
technology and the history behind it by investigating features of printings from two very different metal-
and discovering new findings from the books and type technologies. The team will carry out further
types found in both Asia and the Western world. As investigations at SLAC National Accelerator
the first step to developing the project’s short-term Laboratory in July as part of the second ‘Bridge
strategic direction, a team of two from ICDH, Dr. Program.’

COREEN

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14 UNESCO ICDH Newsletter 15 Memories of Today