Printing for Profit: The Commercial Publishers of Jianyang, Fujian (11th-17th Centuries)

ISBN-13: 9780674009554 / Angielski / Twarda / 2003 / 360 str.

Lucille Chia

Opis

From the 11th through the 17th centuries, the publishers of Jianyang in Fujian province played a conspicuous role in the Chinese book trade. Unlike the products of government and educational presses, their publications were destined for the retail book market. These publishers survived by responding to consumer demands for dictionaries, histories, geographies, medical texts, encyclopaedias, primers, how-to books, novels and anthologies. Their publications reflect the varied needs of the full range of readers in late imperial China and allow us to study the reading habits, tastes and literacy of different social groups. The publishers of Jianyang were also businessmen, and their efforts to produce books efficiently, meet the demands of the market, and distribute their publications provide a window on commerce and industry and the growth of regional and national markets.