以國立科學工藝博物館活版印刷蒐藏品探究中文活版製版技術

A Study on Chinese Typographic Printing from the Case of Typographic Collection of National Science & Technology Museum

印刷技術在中國播種萌芽之後，在世界各地的發揚光大，歷經一千二百多年的發展，對人類在推動世界文化、教育及資訊傳播上發揮了承先啟後的貢獻。印刷工業一般區分為凸版印刷、凹版印刷、平版印刷、孔版印刷與今日之電腦數位化印刷。而又因為傳統的凸版印刷是指以活字組成的各式版面，以從事印刷的一種工作，因此有很長的一段時期多以「活版印刷」做為「凸版印刷」的同義詞，或取代其全部。電腦科技全面革新印刷方法後，活版印刷的盛況已消逝殆盡。為具體呈現活版印刷科技在台灣的發展歷史，以及對於教育、文化、生活的貢獻，彰顯技術使用者，在此科學工藝辛勤耕耘的歷程，科工館遂有以印刷科技為主題的文物蒐藏計畫，歷經四年的努力，迄今已有蒐藏成果呈現。本文就科工館既有蒐藏的一些中文活版製版設備與材料，進行中文活版製版作業程序的探究，參考相關文獻資料，逐一探討原稿整理、鑄字、檢字、組版、打樣、校正、改版等中文活版製版技術流程，並進一步說明鉛活字鑄造的流程，從字體原稿設計繪製、鋅凹版製作、銅模雕刻製作、鉛字鑄造、鉛字排版等，以了解鉛字活版製版的相關過程，做為該項蒐藏在文字方面的註腳，進一步發揚其科學工藝的價值。

After being invented in China, printing techniques has been developed worldwide. Printing, after 1,200 years of development, has made a great contribution to the development of world culture, education, and information communication. Printing industry includes relief printing, gravure printing, lithographic printing, porous printing, and the modem digital printing. Traditional relief printing refers to the use of individual letterpress plates for printing work and for a long period of time, 'relief printing' had been regarded as “letterpress printing” or has replaced by it. Computer technology has brought a new revolution to printing techniques and letterpress printing has lost its luster. In order to concretely present the history of development of letterpress printing technique in Taiwan and its contribution to education, culture, and life, the National Science & Technology Museum has been collecting historic examples of typographic printing. After four years of hard work, we now have an excellent collection to present to our visitors. This paper discusses the printing process through the collection of the equipment and materials of Chinese letterpress printing and relevant literature. Preparation of Chinese letterpress printing process such as the work of text, type casting, proofreading, editing, type setting, outlet, and re-editing was examined in order to best explain the process in detail. Through design and drawing of text in original script, making of gravure plate, making and carving of copper plate, and type setting, we are able to understand the printing process and give a written explanation of each collection to help explore further the value of science and technology.