Long before Gutenberg, Koreans were already familiar with the printing press.

The first French ambassador to Seoul, Victor Collin de Plancywho arrived in Korea in 1887, bought the "Jikji"The diplomat did not realize the importance of the book he had just acquired until he realized with emotion that the work dated back to the Xuanguang era (1371-1377). The diplomat did not realize the importance of the book he had just acquired until he realized with emotion that the work dated back to the Xuanguang era (1371-1378).

The work arrives in Europe.

The book was taken to France to be exposed in the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition. One years later, Victor Collin sells his entire legacy at auction, including "Jikji". It is then that another collector, the jeweler Henri Vever, buys it for 180 francs at the time, about 60,000 € today.

It was not until 1950 that the book was given by the family of the jeweler to the National Library of France (BNF).

The last time the public was able to see this unique specimen was 50 years ago, in 1973. Now, there is a new opportunity. The historical treasure will be exhibited by the National Library of France in Paris until July 16.

The oldest surviving book of its kind in the world.

Jikji is the abbreviated title of a Korean Buddhist document whose title can be translated as "Anthology of Zen teachings of the great Buddhist priests".. Printed during the dynasty Goryeo in 1377, is the oldest book in the world which is preserved in print with movable metal types. UNESCO included it in the Memory of the World Program in September 2001.

The Jikji is a manual of Buddhist teachings composed in Chinese characters (hanja) which was published in the Heungdeok Temple in 1377, showing that Koreans were already familiar with movable type typesetting, a technique believed to have originated in China 78 years before Johannes Gutenberg will publish the famous "42-line Bible"printed between 1452 and 1455. Most of the Jikji has been lost and today only the last volume survives, preserved by the Manuscrits Orientaux division of the National Library of France.

The exhibition Print! Gutenberg's Europe shows, in addition to the "Jikjiother jewels of the history of printing: two copies of the Gutenberg Bible, and the "Bois Protat", an engraved wooden matrix from 1420.

Unique in the world, the "Jikji" is a crucial element of the South Korean heritageprinted in the year 7 of the Xuanguang era. It originally had two volumes, but only the second one survives.

Of course, South Korea also wants to exhibit it on its territory. If you want to see it, you can come to Paris, or visit the website of the National Library of France, which has been kind enough to digitally scan the work and make it available to all interested parties..