farfel_n02_178_134

See #126
from
(Melvin
McGovern)
Kabin - Ja 1434 In 1434 the publications Office was
ordered by the king to cast a bronze font of 200,000 pieces of
type which was named Kabin - Ja . This event in Korean
typographical history is recorded in the Yi Dynasty Annels & in
the 3rd forward to the Yorktae janggam bakui of 1437.
These accounts state that the king regretting that the Type
in use , though beautiful, was difficult to read because of
the small size of the characters , suggested that a new font
be cast from written characters of a larger size . Within 2
months more than 200,000 types were cast , so clear that
it was possible to print more than 40 sheets a /day.
The style of the characters is that of the early Ming
calligraphers . Kabin - Ja is sometimes called Wibuin - Ja
or type in the Madame Wi style which is the Korean
name for the Chinese style of writing of that period.
Kabin - Ja was recast 4 times - 1580, 1668, 1772, & 1777.
Pages are usually made up in 10 perpendicular lines -
18 characters / line.
- the finest of the early Types & remaining in use over
the longest period - as late as 1777.
- usual editions of about 100 copies.