Unearthed in the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang and dating to 868 CE, the Diamond Sutra stands out as the oldest dated, printed book known to survive. Fashioned from a single, nearly nine-foot scroll of mulberry bark paper, its text was applied using woodblock printing—an ingenious process that involved carving entire pages in reverse onto wooden boards, inking them, then pressing paper by hand. This method predates Gutenberg’s movable type by nearly six centuries and illustrates how advanced Tang-era artisans had become.

The choice to reproduce the Diamond Sutra through print wasn’t merely technical showmanship. In Mahayana and Zen circles, the sutra’s teachings on non-attachment and the emptiness of all phenomena resonate deeply. Making numerous copies available underscored the belief that wisdom shouldn’t be hoarded. Rather than painstakingly hand-copying each scroll—a time-consuming practice prone to errors—woodblock prints allowed for broader distribution. Monasteries along the Silk Road, bustling marketplaces in Chang’an, even travelers heading to Japan could encounter its message more readily.

Fast-forward to today, and that same Dunhuang scroll lives in the British Library, where digital imaging projects have brought its delicate characters to smartphones worldwide. Scholars, Buddhists, graphic artists and typography fans rejoice at every new discovery from that dusty cave. The Diamond Sutra’s printed form not only marks a milestone in book history but also embodies the very teaching it carries: liberation through letting go, shared far and wide.