Koreans have always respected the written word
The first writing system used in Korea was borrowed from China
In 1446 the Korean alphabet now known as Hangul was developed
and began to be used alongside the Chinese writing system
Simple shapes represent the sounds of the Korean alphabet
so many more Koreans could learn to read and write
Many administrative, literary, and Buddhist texts have been preserved
and form the foundation of Korean government and education
Carved wooden blocks were used for printing
The Tripitaka Koreana is a compilation of Buddhist texts made in the 13th century
carved on 81,258 wooden blocks
Texts were carved in mirror writing. This is still practised today
The original blocks are 750 years old and still reproduce perfectly
As well as using wooden blocks, printers experimented with metal type
at least 70 years before the Gutenberg Bible was printed in Europe
Accurate mass production allowed the spread of ideas and encouraged literacy
This book of Buddhist sermons was printed in 1377 from the original metal type
Writing also reveals information about ordinary Korean people
This tablet is an epitaph to a junior official, Paek Chun-min who died in 1698 aged 64
Today, contemporary artists such as Shin Young-Ok refer to the Korean literary tradition in their own work