Woodcuts highlight ancient printing

Ancient books are today rare, but even rarer are those wooden blocks used to print books hundreds of years ago. The show of precious printing blocks at the National Museum of Classic Books, which opened last week and runs through the end of July, features a large collection of the blocks known as woodcuts. It's the first and the most comprehensive exhibition of its kind in China.

On display are 147 blocks used for printing text, images and patterns collected by more than 10 Chinese museums, libraries, institutions and private collectors. In addition, 60 ancient books published by woodblock printing are also on show.

Block printing originated from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), when Buddhist sutras were widely printed. People had to engrave characters on a block, and a book required hundreds of woodcuts to print. The world's earliest book is the Chinese scroll known as the Diamond Sutra, printed in 868 and now in the collection of the British Museum.