Metal Printed ¡¸Jikji(òÁò¦)¡¹
was known to the world, by being recorded in the appendix in
¡¸Hankook Seoji¡¹written by Maurice Courant(1865-1935) in 1901.
It had not been known for a long time, but the exhibition of that
to The International Exhibition in memory of in 1972 confirmed us that it was the oldest Metal Printed
Book in the world among existing books.
We can make sure that it was published with metal prints in
Hungdeok Temple outside Cheongjumok in JUL 1377(The 3rd year of
the reign of King Woo), through the postscript, which is "Sunkwang
Chilnyun Jungsa Chilwolil Chongju Mokwe Hungdeoksa Jujainsi" in
the last part of Metal Printed ¡¸Jikji¡¹.
The fact that it was printed in Hungdeok Temple in Uncheondong
Cheongju was known, after Museum people of Cheongju University dug
¡¸Hungdeok Saji¡¹ in 1985.
With this, Hungdeok Temple was not only recognized high from the
academic world, through sponsored by Chungcheong Province in JUN 1986, but
Hungdeok Temple also was rebuilt in MAR 1992. In 1992, the Early
Printing Museum of Cheongju was opened and whose subject was ¡¸Jikji¡¹ was held in
2000.
Only the last volume of Metal Printed ¡¸Jikji¡¹ was kept as a unique
book in Manuscrit Orianteaux of France National Library, and the
recovery movement of ¡¸Jikji¡¹is actively spreading in Korea these
days.
.gif){kind=spacer}
The discovery of Jikji
