When did printing begin to exist?

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties (around the 7th century), block printing appeared. Early printing activities were mainly carried out among the people, mostly used to print Buddha statues, Buddhist scriptures, vows and almanac. In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Xuanzang printed the image of Pu Xian on the back paper and gave it to monks and nuns.

Printing is one of the four great inventions in ancient China. Woodblock printing, which started in Sui Dynasty, was developed and perfected in Bi Sheng, resulting in movable type printing, which was spread to Europe by Mongols, so later people called Bi Sheng the ancestor of printing. China's printing is the pioneer of modern human civilization, which has created conditions for the wide spread and exchange of knowledge. Printing first spread to Korea, Japan, Central Asia, West Asia and Europe.