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Buddhist Woodblock

Buddhist Woodblock. Related Prints and Printing Blocks. DESCRIPTION a. Material: Hard wood b. Size: 21,5 x 18,5 cm; Thickness: 2,5 cm

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Buddhist Woodblock

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  1. Buddhist Woodblock

  2. Related Prints and Printing Blocks

  3. DESCRIPTION a. Material: Hard wood b. Size: 21,5 x 18,5 cm; Thickness: 2,5 cm Parts: Different patterns are carved into each side of the block. Patterns have apparently been carved by hand. This type of block is traditionally carved by a Lama who is an authority on the subject. Carved patterns are higher than the edges of the artifact. One side depicts two demons, known as gyalpo and drimo, chained together. This image is intended to heal sick people. The design features a four-petaled lotus as well as protective mantras and formulae. The other side features a complex mandala. A distinguishing feature is a pair of central lotus forms. Outer-most form is composed of ten petals; inner-most form is composed of eight petals. This is a common method of depicting “chakras” (concentrated energy centers) in Asian visual traditions. Similar designs are seen on ritual prints placed at the heart of a deceased person and are intended to offer spiritual protection. d. Origin: East Asian woodblock printing has its origins in China. This specific woodblock may have been produced in Nepal or Tibet and was brought to Finland by collector Oppi Untracht in the 20th Century.

  4. e. History: The earliest woodblock printed fragments to survive are from China and date to the Han dynasty (before AD 220). The oldest known Chinese surviving printed work is a woodblock-printed Buddhist scripture of Wu Zetian period (AD 684–705). It was discovered in Turfan, Xinjiang province, China in 1906. Woodblock printing and engraving were introduced to Tibet in the early Yuan Dynasty (13th century). The objective of printing in the East may have been focused on standardization of ritual text (such as the Buddhist canon Tripitaka, requiring 130,000 woodblocks). The purity of validated woodblocks could be maintained for centuries. When there was a need for the reproduction of a text, the original block could simply be brought out again.

  5. 2. AFFORDANCES AND CONSTRAINTS Affordances: - Block is small and light-weight (portable). - Material is sustainable, malleable, and durable. - Master copy maintains standardization of text and imagery. Constraints: - Material degrades over time and through repeated use. - Prints are common, but text is not widely understood.

  6. 3a. ENABLING The woodblock enables multiple identical prints to be made. This specific block can create only two possible prints. It is only necessary to ink the block and bring it into firm and even contact with the paper or cloth to achieve an acceptable print. The content is printed in reverse (“mirror-image”), a further complication when text was involved. Possible methods of printing include stamping and rubbing. Stamping: Prints are made by putting the paper or fabric on a flat surface with the block on top and pressing or hammering the back of the block. Rubbing: The block goes face up on a table with the paper or fabric on top. The back is rubbed with a “hard pad, a flat piece of wood, a burnisher, or a leather frotton”. Prayer flags—(or “lungta” meaning “wind horse”)—are used for worship in remote Tibet. The small size and durability allow for distribution of standardized texts across the vast and mountainous terrain of this region.

  7. 3b. CONSTRAINING This specific block can create only two possible prints. Production of woodblocks requires highly specialized skill-sets including craftsmanship, literacy, and cultural understanding. Also, they must be designed by someone who is acknowledged as an authority by the community who will use the prints. The prints must be made and consecrated with special blessing substances and they must also be consecrated with concentration, mantra and mudra.This should be done by a qualified Lama (or Lamas) who have received empowerment for production of these items.Without these things being accomplished in concert, these items are of little or no practical value. Only a few people understand the meaning of the text and images on the block, but the many people recognize their value because of the process by which they are created.

  8. 4. DIGITAL TRANSLATION: INFO TOKEN The “token” is a card with a symbol printed on it. When this symbol is scanned, the user receives access to a database containing current information on a specific topic. For example, there could be different cards for information on locations or events. Instead of distributing printed versions of information that becomes quickly out-dated, access cards connect users with an authoritative source of information. This ensures that everyone using the card will have the same information regardless of whether their card is old or new. - Must be received from an organization/authority who manages the “master copy” of information. - Prayer flags are created by Lamas, then hung up in the open air by a person who wants protection. They are believed to be “read” by the wind. The person who receives benefit from the flag does not need to know how to read the text. Likewise, Info Token symbols are “read” by a camera or scanner. The user then receives guidance in an understandable form prepared by an authority on the topic.

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