The Diamond Sutra, printed on May 11, 868, resides at The British Library.
The site had been closed off to the world since the start of the 11th century.
Among the treasures recovered from the caves is the Diamond Sutrathe earliest dated, printed book in existence.
The Diamond Sūtra, printed on May 11, 868, resides at The British Library. (Photo:The British Library, Public Domain)
The Diamond Sutra is a scroll stretching about 16 feet long.
It was made through ancient Chinese woodblock printing, a craft that long predated the European printing press.
The book is also dated.
The text comes from a series of Buddhist Caves which were sealed for hundreds of years. (Photo:The British Library, Public Domain)
On the Western calendar that is May 11, 868.
Wang Jie seemingly financed the scroll’s creation by artisans in honor of his parents.
After the caves' unsealing in 1900, the book was removed.
The scroll is the earliest printed example of a dated, printed book. (Photo:The British Library, Public Domain)
It was brought to England by Sir Aurel Stein, an Englishman traveling abroad, in 1907.
The scroll is now conserved and preserved in The British Library and can be explored in its entiretyonline.
The text comes from a series of Buddhist Caves which were sealed for hundreds of years.
The scroll is the earliest printed example of a dated, printed book.
