Explore the world of East Asian printing with a close study of Dharani Scroll. Commissioned in 764, by Empress Shōtoku, one million small wooden pagodas were crafted and contained a small woodblock-printed paper scroll (typically 6 x 45 cm) printed with a Buddhist text, the Vimalasuddhaprabhasa mahadharani sutra, and distributed to temples around the country as thanksgiving for the suppression of the Emi Rebellion. These are the earliest examples of woodblock printing known, or documented, from Japan and possibly the oldest verifiable printed matter.

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