Among the many inventions of ancient China, movable type printing is undoubtedly one of the great innovations that had a profound impact on later generations. This technology, invented by Bi Sheng in the Song Dynasty, ushered in a revolution in printing history, greatly improving the efficiency of book production and dissemination. However, despite the emergence of movable type printing, many people still chose to copy scriptures and books by hand, and the reasons behind this were multifaceted.

First, we need to understand the birth time of movable type printing. According to historical records, Bi Sheng invented movable type printing around 1040 AD, and this technology has a history of about 1000 years. Over these thousand years, although movable type printing gradually became popular, it did not immediately replace the status of handwritten copies due to technological and cost limitations.

During the Song Dynasty, although movable type printing had begun to be applied, due to technological limitations at that time, the cost of movable type printing was relatively high, and the quality of printed books was uneven. At the same time, scholars and literati at that time had a special emotional and cultural identity with handwritten copies. Handwritten copies were not only carriers of knowledge and culture, but also an embodiment of artistic form. Many scholars experienced the joy of writing and spiritual cultivation through copying by hand.

In addition, as movable type printing was just invented, many traditional concepts and habits had not yet changed in time. In ancient China, books were regarded as precious cultural heritage, and scholars were accustomed to preserving and inheriting knowledge through copying. The existence of handwritten copies was not only for reading, but also for collection and transmission. Therefore, even after the invention of movable type printing, many people still adhered to the traditional method of handwriting.

With the passage of time, movable type printing gradually became mature, and the quality and efficiency of printed books improved significantly. This reduced the cost of printed books and increased their popularity, eventually spreading widely among all social strata. However, even after the popularization of movable type printing, handwritten copies still had their unique value and significance in certain cultural and historical contexts. For example, some precious ancient books, Buddhist scriptures, and Taoist scriptures, etc., due to their religious and cultural importance, still had many believers and scholars choose to express their respect and piety through handwriting.

In conclusion, the invention of movable type printing was undoubtedly a major advancement of human civilization. However, when it first emerged, due to technological limitations, cost issues, and the influence of traditional culture, handwritten copies still existed for a long period of time. These two forms coexisted in the Song Dynasty and for a long time after, jointly carrying the inheritance and development of human culture. With the continuous advancement of technology and changes in social attitudes, movable type printing ultimately became the mainstream, but handwritten copies, as a cultural phenomenon, still have their unique value and charm today.

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