A digital publication from the J. Willard Marriott Library

From Jikji to Gutenberg Colloquium – 2023

Group photo at a scholarly colloquium featuring diverse participants in business attire, smiling and standing before a backdrop with event details.

A meeting of scholars, historians, conservators, and librarians from seven countries.

The From Jikji to Gutenberg Colloquium, held at the Library of Congress 13-14 April 2023, was the first face-to-face meeting of 40 scholars, material culture specialists and scientists who comprise the project. The discussions provided an opportunity to effectively share expertise and communicate across a variety of disciplines and languages. The colloquium succeeded in forming a more inclusive picture of the historic origins of printing as it first flowered in Eastern Asia and Western Europe. The Program Preprints, provided by the UNESCO International Centre for Documentary Heritage in Cheongju, Korea, are shared here to provide program highpoints.

Poster for "From Jikji to Gutenberg Scholarly Colloquium" at the Library of Congress, April 13-14, 2023. Features UNESCO logo and event details.

Watch opening remarks from the Library of Congress Colloquium

Gallery

A diverse group of professionals poses in front of a stage at a scholarly colloquium event. They are smiling, conveying a sense of achievement and camaraderie.
A scholarly colloquium with a speaker at a podium, attendees around a table, U.S. flag and a large banner displayed. Professional and academic setting.
A speaker stands at a podium in a conference room during the
A man speaks at a podium during a scholarly colloquium in a conference room. Attendees sit at long tables with laptops and water bottles. U.S. flag and a blue banner are displayed, conveying a formal, academic atmosphere.
A group of people stand around an open, large book on a table, appearing engaged and curious. Some wear masks, suggesting a setting focused on preservation or academia.
Several people examine historical documents in an archive, with open large books and archival boxes on a table. The atmosphere is focused and scholarly.
A group of people examines historical manuscripts and slide collections on a table. The setting is a library or archival room. The mood is focused and scholarly.
Alt text: Close-up of ancient seals resting in a padded display box. The seals, dark and worn, feature intricate carvings, conveying a sense of history and preservation.
Display case with neatly arranged rectangular trays containing small specimens behind glass coverings. A note is visible to the left on a gray surface.
A small, weathered green stone rests on printed paper with partial text visible. Background includes blurred rectangular shapes, implying a study setting.
A display case containing numbered compartments with ancient, rectangular seals. The seals are dark with intricate carvings, creating a historical and archaeological ambiance.
Open book displaying antique Korean script in vertical black text on aged yellowed pages. Below is a typed label describing the historical significance and contents with details of the edition and author. The setting conveys a sense of historical and cultural preservation.
Close-up of an aged paper featuring columns of traditional Chinese calligraphy. The ink is dark, and the edges of the paper are slightly worn.
Open old book with Chinese text, resting on a gray surface. Yellowed pages give a sense of antiquity. Below, a label provides details in English.
An illustrated manuscript page shows a vibrant scene with finely dressed figures in colorful traditional attire, set against a background of swirling clouds and landscape. The right side features vertical text columns in Chinese characters. The illustration conveys a historical or cultural narrative, with a formal and reverent tone.
Close-up of a page from an old book with Chinese characters. Features black ink on aged paper with a green border and floral detail. Text appears historical.
Close-up of an ancient text with traditional Chinese characters arranged in vertical columns on aged paper. The script appears formal and precise.
Close-up of an ancient text with traditional Chinese characters arranged in vertical columns on aged paper. The script appears formal and precise.