Influences Of The City Commercialization Of Soochow During The Ming Dynasty On Private Block Printing

During the periods of the Ming Dynasty, Soochow was an economic and cultural center in South China as well as a metropolis of business and fashion in China. The progression of the city commercialization has brought about changes in the minds of social members, resulted in a new trade mode of production in accordance with this environment, and created the influential artistic form of block printing of books with local characteristics. The block printing of books, no matter in workshops of books or by a private collector of books, was imprinted deeply with commercialization. It can be concluded that the rising of Soochow block printing during the Ming Dynasty was a result of its commercial prosperity. Soochow, the most important commercial city of printing, distribution and circulation of books all over the country at that time, has formed a simple, featured, and graceful artistic style of binding and layout of books.