esearch on the Layout of Official Publications in the Ming Dynasty

Abstract:Ming ficial woodblock printing reached unprecedented sophistication, with evolving layout elements reflecting technological progress cultural shifts across dynastic periods. Keywords: Official publications the Ming Dynasty; Layout; Early Ming; Mid-Ming; Late Ming

Ming printing harmonized ficial, private, commercial production - blending imperial authority, scholarly refinement, market pragmatism to advance Chinese bibliographic traditions.

一、Layout Elements Ming Dynasty Official Publications

Ming printers refined Chinese woodblock traditions, blending classical layouts with imperial innovations to develop distinctive bibliographic styles, particularly in frame designs line formats.

（一）Frame Line Format

1、Frame

Chinese book frames evolved from Tang utility to Ming artistry, with imperial editions favoring authoritative continuity while private printers developed decorative innovation - together driving book design’s technical aesthetic advancement.

2、Line Format

Ming typography balanced efficiency tradition, favoring the practical 9×18 format while preserving the classical 10×20 style, reflecting China’s gradual printing evolution.The Central Fold Its Components

（二）Central Fold Its Components

The Ming central fold masterfully unified utility artistry, combining binding precision, authentication markers aesthetic refinement into a single sophisticated design element.

1、Fish Tail

Ming fish tails transformed from practical guides to cultural symbols, with black, white, thread designs respectively signifying imperial, scholarly, technical identities. These elements epitomized Ming printing’s fusion function meaning, where visual details reflected both practical use cultural significance in China’s bibliographic tradition.

2、Elephant’s Trunk

The Ming “elephant’s trunk” evolved into an artistic feature where white seams embodied classical purity black lines maintained structural function. This typographic refinement transformed a practical element into a cultural statement, balancing aesthetic tradition with technical innovation.

（三）The Book Spine Its Varieties

Chinese bookmaking’s central fold evolved from Tang utility to Ming artistry, mirroring cultural shifts from function to aesthetic refinement.

1、Black Seam White Seam

Ming printers’ shift to white margins revived Song aesthetics, replacing Yuan’s delicate early Ming’s bold styles. This typographic transformation visually articulated scholarly ideals, elevating book design into a philosophical statement through its refined simplicity.

2、Flower margin

The decorated margin featured ornamental patterns along the book’s edge, ranging from geometric designs to natural motifs. Beyond stard elements like fishtails, these margins ten included practical details—edition specifications at the top engraver credits at the bottom, with abbreviated titles page numbers in between. When bound, these created visually intricate edges. Notably, Ming ficial publications avoided this decorative style, maintaining more restrained designs.

二、Layout Elements Ming Dynasty Official Publications

Early Ming Dynasty

Early Ming publications maintained Yuan artistic traditions through Zhao-style calligraphy classic layouts, exemplified by The Great Ming Code’s blend legal authority aesthetic continuity. This foundational work embodied the dynasty’s dual commitment to governance stardization cultural preservation through its refined craftsmanship authoritative presentation.

Mid-Ming Period

Mid-Ming printing revived Song aesthetics through white-margined layouts classical typefaces, epitomized by *Shishuo Xinyu*’s refined design, reflecting scholarly nostalgia stardized production techniques.

Late Ming Period

Late Ming printing harmonized classical layouts with innovative typography, developing elongated characters stardized practices despite declining materials. This transitional period balanced tradition with technical progress, as seen in Wang Yangming’s 1596 works, where meticulous annotations new typefaces anticipated Qing developments while maintaining conventional designs. The era’s dual emphasis on aesthetic tradition printing pressionalism marked a pivotal evolution in Chinese book production.

References

[1] Zhan Yi, Zhang Jie, Bi Yanzhao. Distinction Differentiation: A Sociological Study in Ming Dynasty Book Printing [J]. Journal Nanjing s Institute (Fine s & ), 2024, (03): 147-152. [2] Zhang Yan. Research on the Layout Chinese WoodblockPrinted Ancient Books [D]. Ningxia University, 2022. [3] Yan Zuozhi. An Introduction to the Study Ancient Book Editions [M]. East China Normal University Press, 1st ed., October 1989, p. 9. [4] Yao Boyue. Chinese Bibliology [M]. Peking University Press, 1st ed., December 2004, p. 97. [5] Chen Guoqing. A Brief Discussion on Ancient Book Editions [M]. Liaoning People’s Publishing House, 1957 ed., p. 50.