The Prosperous Era of Longwan

Emperor Jiajing was a little happy when he heard that Chen Ju actually thought of the "Yongle Dadian" in his hand because of the reprint of "Easy Hygiene Prescriptions".

In fact, he had already had the idea of ​​engraving the "Yongle Dadian", but he also knew that this matter was quite troublesome, and as an emperor, he could not just say it.

"Yongle Dadian" contains 60 volumes, totaling 22,937 volumes and 11,095 volumes.

There are tens of thousands of books. How many pages are there in each book?

Every page needs a stereotype. You can do the math yourself, but I'm afraid you don't have to prepare millions of stereotypes.

This project is a huge undertaking, not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also the cost of paper and ink used for engraving, which is not a small sum.

When talking about printing books, the first thing that Emperor Jiajing thought of was naturally the woodblock printing that was currently popular on the market, rather than movable type printing.

In fact, although there was movable type printing in the Ming Dynasty, movable type printing could not replace woodblock printing.

First, movable type printing was technically imperfect.

Although movable type printing is a more advanced technology than woodblock printing, it does not mean that it was advanced from the moment it was invented and can immediately replace woodblock printing, which has been widely used and popular.

In the Song Dynasty, when movable type printing was invented, woodblock printed books had reached a high level of perfection. By the Ming Dynasty, not only were they prospering in terms of quantity, but they also reached a very high level in terms of woodblock technology and printing quality.

As a new thing, movable type printing still needs to be improved and developed in terms of technology and technology.

First, movable type printing can cause irregular spacing, skewing, and even errors of single characters being placed horizontally or upside down.

Second, the characters printed on the movable type plates are of different sizes, and the strokes are of uneven thickness.

Third, printing with movable type can easily cause uneven ink shades on the printing paper.

Movable type also has a service life. Whether it is wooden type or clay type, it will inevitably be damaged after repeated use. Even metal type is not immune, but it only lasts longer than other movable types, and the cost is far higher than others.

However, during use, metal movable type is not easy to absorb ink, which will affect the printing effect.

In fact, the habitual force of traditional culture also affects the spread and popularization of movable type printing technology. Since the invention of woodblock printing, printed matter has not only served as a reading object and a medium for disseminating knowledge, but also as a work of art and a medium for disseminating the art of calligraphy. carrier.

Literati and bibliophiles often base their evaluation of printed matter on the above-mentioned criteria. This function of engraving printing is difficult to replace by movable type.

Engraving is to write the upper version of the manuscript. The apostrophes, hooks, vertical strokes and strokes between the upper and lower characters sometimes overlap, and the strokes correspond to each other, so that the arrangement is neat and the font structure is beautiful.

From an artistic and aesthetic point of view, it is difficult for movable type to surpass engraving.

Moreover, the special form of Chinese characters is another reason for delaying the promotion of movable type printing. The promotion and use of movable type printing technology has been very slow and has not had an epoch-making impact. It cannot be said that it has nothing to do with the Chinese character system.

It took 500 to 600 years for movable type printing to be gradually popularized and used in China, while it only took 40 to 50 years for movable type printing to be widely used in Europe.

This is because the Chinese character block system used by the Chinese has a huge amount of information and a large number. To meet the needs of typesetting, a set of movable type must have at least tens of thousands of movable types, and some even need to engrave hundreds of thousands of movable types.

For such a large quantity, the production process is quite complicated.

However, for the pinyin writing system used by Europeans, typesetting can be completed very conveniently by only making dozens of movable types of letters and characters.

Thousands of movable types and dozens of movable types are two orders of magnitude different from each other. This gap makes the information transmission speed using Chinese characters as the carrier much lower than the information transmission speed using Pinyin characters as the carrier, objectively delaying the development of movable type printing. Promotion and popularization.

Finally, movable type printing also encountered obstacles in the practical application of process technology.

Chinese science and technology is more focused on experience and practicality. After the invention of engraving and printing, the printing industry developed rapidly. Starting from the Song Dynasty, it developed into three main bodies of book engraving, namely official engraving, family engraving, and workshop engraving.

Even now, this is still the main focus.

Most private bookshops still use woodblock printing. Even bookshops that print with movable type mostly use wooden typefaces, but this also leads to poor printing results.

The Inner Palace Sutra Factory has a set of copper character stencils with excellent printing effect. However, if you want to engrave "Yongle Dadian" with that set of copper fonts, you will know that it is impossible to do it. I am afraid that several sets of such copper fonts will be scrapped. It's so simple, not to mention that the set of fonts was purchased only after spending all the savings of the imperial court at that time.

Woodblock printing has a long history and mature technology. There are a large number of craftsmen specializing in woodblock printing, and the division of labor is relatively fine, forming a professional pattern.

However, the circulation volume of books in ancient my country was not very large, and the market demand was small, because reading was actually a very expensive thing in that era, and private demand determined that most books were not printed in large quantities.

In this way, in order to pursue profits and reduce costs, bookstores are unwilling to abandon the original traditional engraving technology and try to use new technologies such as movable type printing.

Therefore, in practical application, movable type printing encountered subjective obstacles from book operators.

Even though Emperor Jiajing only took a few glances before making the decision to print the book "Easy Hygiene Prescriptions", this is also because the book is only a hundred pages, and large-scale printing must be engraving printing, that is, hundreds of engravings. That's all, and it's still within the range that the court can bear.

However, what Chen Ju said about printing the "Yongle Dadian" is completely different. The money needed may not be worth millions of taels of silver.

Therefore, don’t think that printing with movable type was a very simple matter in ancient times. In fact, it was quite expensive.

Therefore, Emperor Jiajing rejected Chen Ju's proposal immediately in his heart. Even though he had already had this intention, he was unable to do so after all.

Just kidding, millions of dollars, this is the money income of the Ming Dynasty for several years. After spending so much money to print a set of books, Emperor Jiajing couldn't do such a thing.

The expression on Emperor Jiajing's face changed from joy at the beginning to gloom at the end. Although he did not speak, Chen Ju, Huang Jin, or Gao Zhong could all see that the emperor actually wanted to do this.

Chen Ju didn't know what to say next, but Huang Jin and Gao Zhong had an idea.

Just when the atmosphere in the palace gradually cooled down, Gao Zhong spoke first: "Your Majesty, speaking of "Yongle Dadian", there is only one copy left in the palace. There is indeed a risk of leakage, but if you want to print the book, it will be difficult. It requires a huge amount of money, so why not have the inner study make a copy and keep it separately."

Yes, "Yongle Dadian" cannot be printed, but it can be copied in the most primitive way, that is, copying the book.

In fact, the books that many scholars like to collect the most are hand-copied versions. They believe that written articles are alive, and they do not like printing, even if they are engraving-printed books.

Although, they do not deny that printed books are cheaper and more conducive to the promotion and inheritance of knowledge.

"Yes, Your Majesty, Gao Zhong is right."

With Gao Zhong taking the initiative, Huang Jin also answered: "In fact, not only the boys in the inner study can help copy books, but the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial College in the imperial court can also participate.

The book "Yongle Dadian" is too vast and vast. If more people are involved, the copying work can be completed faster. "

Chen Ju blinked when he heard this and copied a book. Wouldn't that be something that can only be kept in the inner court?

In fact, eunuchs like them have had the experience of studying in the early years, so they naturally know the role of books. If books cannot be widely disseminated, what is their use?

Among the people, there are some poor scholars who copy books for others, but their purpose of copying books is only secondary to making money, and the main reason is to practice calligraphy.

Taking part in the imperial examinations requires very high writing requirements. Many poor scholars who have no money to buy pens and ink often find a job copying books in bookshops.

I earn pen and ink fees by copying books, and earn some pocket money by the way. The most important thing is to practice calligraphy.

But it was Gao Zhong who was speaking now, his godfather. Although Chen Ju felt that copying a copy of "Yongle Dadian" would not have much practical effect except for an extra layer of insurance, he did not dare to say anything more because he was being ignored.

"Inner Study, Hanlin Academy, Imperial College"

Emperor Jiajing murmured.

Yes, he was moved.

It is unrealistic to print the "Yongle Dadian", but if it is copied, it will cost a lot, and the cost of paper and ink alone will not be small. There is also the final binding and other work, which also requires a lot of manpower, but it is relatively outdated. The unreliable printing is much cheaper.

He liked the book "Yongle Dadian" and even thought about putting it in the mausoleum to be buried with him after his death, but if there was only one set in the palace, it would be impossible no matter what.

In fact, after practicing for decades, even though Huang Jin and Yan Song said he was a "living god" no matter what happened, Emperor Jiajing was not so easily fooled. He knew very well whether his cultivation was successful or not.

Printing books takes a long time, and it is not advisable to invest too much. Copying books will not be short. Even if a lot of manpower is really invested in it, it is still time-consuming.

"Okay, let's stop this matter and let me think about it carefully."

Although he said this, Emperor Jiajing actually made up his mind to ask Yan Song and Xu Jie to come over for discussion when he had time to see what the court thought of this.

The news that Emperor Jiajing wanted to re-engrave the Simplified Hygiene Prescriptions written by Hu Hu, the former Minister of Rites, quickly spread throughout the court and the public, and there were different opinions in the court.

In fact, during the years when Emperor Jiajing was in power, there were not many books engraved by decree, but most of those books were Taoist classics, but this time they were medical books.

Some people naturally think of the reason why the emperor was seriously ill before, so they think it may be related to this. Of course, some people disagree. In their opinion, engraving medical books is not as good as engraving the words of saints, and it is a waste.

But no matter what, there was not a word of objection in the court.

As the end of the year approaches, officials are more concerned about their salaries and annual gifts, which are related to whether each family can have a good year.

The imperial court was running smoothly under the leadership of Yan Song and other cabinet ministers. In the last few days of the year, Emperor Jiajing still decreed that the emperor would not visit the palace during the Zhengdan Dynasty.

Everyone in the imperial court and Prince Yu's palace was not surprised by this decree.

On this day, Wei Guangde came home from Prince Yu's Mansion and received a letter from Jizhen from Zhang Ji.

"Dong Yiyuan?"

Wei Guangde took the letter and was still a little puzzled.

In the past two years, although Jizhen has always faced threats from the Anda tribe, it has never succeeded despite the strict defense of Jizhen.

Although the Ji Zhen border fortress often encounters Tatar raids, most of them are exploratory attacks with no major warning and little opportunity for combat. Therefore, Dong Yiyuan is still a guerrilla general in the Jizhen army.

Opening the envelope and taking out the letter paper, Wei Guangde was curious about what Dong Yiyuan was writing to him at this time.

Don't be surprised, in fact, just a few days ago, Dong Yiyuan sent someone to send a letter of greetings and a New Year's gift. Wei Guangde couldn't understand it. Why is it so popular to send double copies during the holidays this year?

At first glance, Wei Guangde understood a little bit.

In fact, this letter is not mainly about himself, but his brother Dong Yikui.

Wei Guangde has never met Dong Yikui, but he also knows that Dong Yiyuan has such a brother, who previously had the same official position as Ma Fang.

However, after experiencing the First World War in Baoan Prefecture, he was registered with Emperor Jiajing, and Ma Fang was indeed able to fight and had a good record. Although he won and lost in the battle between Xuanfu West Road and An Dabu, he still After hard work all the way, he has been promoted to the governor and the magistrate, and the chief military officer of the Xuanfu.

Dong Yikui's performance is naturally much inferior to Ma Fangbi. He has been serving as the general of Xuanfu East Road, and his rank is only that of a commander.

Perhaps in the daily correspondence between the two brothers, Dong Yikui said something to his brother, especially before the New Year, he might send someone to deliver a letter to Dong Yiyuan and send some New Year gifts by the way, so Dong Yiyuan sent himself this letter at this time. letter.

Speaking of which, this matter is actually related to Li Xian, the former chief military officer of Xuanfu and Chi Fengxiang, governor of Xuanfu.

Afterwards, Li Xian was transferred back to the Fifth Army Commander's Office to serve, and the post of Chief Military Officer was promoted to Ma Fang. However, the court has not yet arranged for the position of Deputy Chief Military Officer.

This naturally caught the eye of Dong Yikui, who had sufficient qualifications.

However, reaching the level of commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief cannot be obtained by just walking around with the governor of Xuanfu or even the governor of Xuanda. He needs someone in the capital to help others.

Dong Yikui's eyes darkened in the capital, and he naturally thought of the noble people in the capital that his brother said.

Wei Guangde was the one who commanded the Battle of Baoan Prefecture in Xuanfu. Dong Yikui was unlucky enough not to date him, but he was also mentioned by his colleagues.

More importantly, Ma Fang, who was entrusted with important tasks by Wei Guangde in this battle, rose to prominence in the following time, making the generals of Xuanfu jealous.

In addition to Ma Fang's military exploits, it is naturally inseparable from the fact that there are people in the capital taking care of him.

In fact, in the eyes of senior officials of the Ministry of War, Ma Fang was not only a person favored by Emperor Jiajing, but also a member of Prince Yu's palace.

Naturally, choosing to recommend Ma Fang when the official position was vacant was also to show goodwill to Prince Yu's palace.

Wei Guangde naturally knew this, so although he did not specifically support Ma Fang's promotion, at official gatherings, he thanked the Minister of War on Ma Fang's behalf many times for his support.

"Deputy Commander-in-Chief?"

Wei Guangde frowned slightly, Dong Yiyuan asked for an official position for his brother