Movable type printing was invented in China four centuries before Johannes Gutenberg

While Johannes Gutenberg is often credited with the invention of movable type, the Chinese artisan Bi Sheng developed a functional system around 1040 AD during the Song Dynasty. Bi Sheng carved individual characters into blocks of moist clay, which were then fired at 1200°C to ensure durability. To compose a page, these characters were arranged on an iron plate coated with a mixture of pine resin, wax, and paper ash, then heated until the characters bonded to the surface.