Yong Ring Chinese hand-cut metal type, a product derived from Robert Morrison’s A Dictionary of the Chinese Language, was briefly used between 1815 and 1856 as a complementary technique in the printing of Protestant missionary and English East India Company publications.
This paper examines the early development of Chinese hand-cut metal type, focusing on its usage, the makers, and evaluations of its quality. It sheds light on its significance beyond technical description or its presence in specific publications. The paper demonstrates how missionaries applied their acquired knowledge of Chinese books and printing. By merging different printing and bookmaking conventions to suit their needs, they developed a hybrid production method while relying heavily on the expertise of “local authorities.”
In doing so, this paper first analyzes the imprints on publications. The examination of primary resources highlights that hand-cut metal type was an ongoing project, with results evolving over time and varying between makers. The paper then explores the labor involved, particularly the migration of craftsmen. It discusses how missionaries recruited local woodblock craftsmen to contribute to its development and trained some to assist with other missionary work. Finally, it considers how missionaries and others evaluated the outcomes of using hand-cut metal type.
While many researchers regard hand-cut metal type as the infancy of Chinese typography, the sustained efforts of missionaries—rooted in the established traditions of Chinese woodblock printing—have been rarely scrutinized. This paper situates hand-cut metal type within the broader context of printing history, identifying it as a product of a formative period. It served not only as a means of merging two distinct modes of production—woodblock printing and typography—but also as a shared resource that bridged organizations with differing agendas and goals.